FINISHERs TOWEL
Thanks to the wonderful artwork by Brendan Kerin, our towels this year tell the Dreamtime story of Burra and the Songline of Burramatta.
In the Dreamtime, before the rivers flowed and the oceans swelled, there was a mighty being named Burra. Burra was a great and powerful eel, a spirit of creation and the protector of the waters. He moved through the empty lands with a purpose, his powerful form carving the world as we know it today.
Burra began his journey at what is now known as Sydney Harbour. With each powerful movement of his body, Burra shaped the land and created the harbour itself, forming the bays and coves that stretch along the coast. The deep waters that flow through this place were the mark of his passage, his presence forever etched into the earth. It was Burra who gave life to the harbour, breathing spirit into its waters and connecting it to the rivers beyond.
After creating the vast harbour, Burra continued to move upstream, following what would become the Parramatta River. His journey brought him deep into the lands of Burramattagal, the "place of many eels." Tired from his labor, Burra finally rested here, in the peaceful waters of Burramatta, which had become his home. Here, the eels were abundant, dancing through the waters just as Burra once had. His head, which was Me-Mel (Goat Island), remained at the harbour’s entrance, forever watching over the land and sea he had shaped.
But Burra was not done. His spirit could not be contained, and his songline extended far beyond Burramatta. After resting, he swam onward, leaving his sacred resting place to follow the great currents of the ocean, stretching all the way to the distant islands of Vanuatu. Burra’s songline carried his spirit across the sea, connecting lands and waters far apart, binding them together with his strength and wisdom.
Yet, Burra always returned to the place of his creation. After journeying through the Pacific and blessing distant lands, he swam back across the ocean, through Sydney Harbour, and up the Parramatta River. Burramatta would always be the place where he found peace, and his presence in the waters still hums with power.
To this day, the people remember the great Burra, the creator of the harbour and protector of the waters. His songline flows through the rivers and seas, linking Burramatta to the vast oceans and reminding us all of the deep connection between land, water, and spirit. Burra's story is passed from generation to generation, a tale of creation, journey, and return, forever living in the hearts of those who walk the lands he once shaped.
For more about Brendan click here.
