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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Chris Maxfield cmaxfiel@****.org.au
Subject: Aboriginal Totems
Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 23:46:11 +1000
At 21:52 11/07/99 +1000, Manx wrote:
>The only funny thing though is the MiTS entry
>that lists Badger as an Australian Aborigine
>totem. All the others were fine, they were at

Laugh. I almost snorted a cup of coffee all over my copy of MITS when I
read that passage. Badger? The Australian Aborigines follow a northern
hemisphere animal totem? I presume it's actually suppose to be Wombat
interpreted for non-Australians.


Chris
Message no. 2
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Aboriginal Totems
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 21:53:59 EDT
In a message dated 7/11/1999 8:46:30 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
cmaxfiel@****.org.au writes:

> >The only funny thing though is the MiTS entry
> >that lists Badger as an Australian Aborigine
> >totem. All the others were fine, they were at
>
> Laugh. I almost snorted a cup of coffee all over my copy of MITS when I
> read that passage. Badger? The Australian Aborigines follow a northern
> hemisphere animal totem? I presume it's actually suppose to be Wombat
> interpreted for non-Australians.

You know, until you guys mentioned this, I never noticed this one. Cute, I
must admit. Question is, the does the descrip match to "Wombat?"

-K
Message no. 3
From: Chris Maxfield cmaxfiel@****.org.au
Subject: Aboriginal Totems
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 02:13:32 +1000
At 21:53 12/07/99 -0400, Ereskanti@***.com wrote:
>In a message dated 7/11/1999 8:46:30 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
>cmaxfiel@****.org.au writes:
> > Laugh. I almost snorted a cup of coffee all over my copy of MITS when I
> > read that passage. Badger? The Australian Aborigines follow a northern
> > hemisphere animal totem? I presume it's actually suppose to be Wombat
> > interpreted for non-Australians.
>
>You know, until you guys mentioned this, I never noticed this one. Cute, I
>must admit. Question is, the does the descrip match to "Wombat?"

Only in part. A wombat is a medium-dog sized, fat, digging, burrow-dwelling
marsupial that only looks vaguely like a badger (if you squint and only
look out of the corner of one eye). That basic similarity is the only
reason I could explain Badger used as an Aboriginal Totem. However, there
the similarities end. Wombats are plant eaters and although the males get
aggressive in breeding season a wombat could never be described, like
Badger is, with "fighter, hunter and capable of amazing savagery" -
although a wombat's large digging claws (same as a koala's large climbing
claws) can do some very serious damage.

For a picture and more info see:
http://mag-nify.educ.monash.edu.au/acps_animals97/wombat.htm



Chris
Message no. 4
From: Chris Maxfield cmaxfiel@****.org.au
Subject: Aboriginal Totems
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 17:36:22 +1000
At 21:53 12/07/99 -0400, Ereskanti@***.com wrote:
>In a message dated 7/11/1999 8:46:30 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
>cmaxfiel@****.org.au writes:
> > Laugh. I almost snorted a cup of coffee all over my copy of MITS when I
> > read that passage. Badger? The Australian Aborigines follow a northern
> > hemisphere animal totem? I presume it's actually suppose to be Wombat
> > interpreted for non-Australians.
>
>You know, until you guys mentioned this, I never noticed this one. Cute, I
>must admit. Question is, the does the descrip match to "Wombat?"

Only in part. A wombat is a medium-dog sized, fat, digging, burrow-dwelling
marsupial that only looks vaguely like a badger (if you squint and only
look out of the corner of one eye). That basic similarity is the only
reason I could explain Badger used as an Aboriginal Totem. However, there
the similarities end. Wombats are plant eaters and although the males get
aggressive in breeding season a wombat could never be described, like
Badger is, with "fighter, hunter and capable of amazing savagery" -
although a wombat's large digging claws (same as a koala's large climbing
claws) can do some very serious damage.

For a picture and more info see:
http://mag-nify.educ.monash.edu.au/acps_animals97/wombat.htm



Chris

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Aboriginal Totems, you may also be interested in:

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