The Butchulla tribe lived on the Island called K'gari. They had made their place on the sands of the champagne pools. Rocky outcrops that captured the sea as the tide went out and left the succulent creatures where the tribe could scoop up small sea animals to supplement their diet.


Terara, the boy-child, sat on a granite boulder, engrossed in the sight of the changing sky.

Old man Wamoon called to his grandson "where are you boy?" Terara continued to sit watching the roiling storm clouds which quickly approached the palm trees near to his home. He was fascinated by the rainbow arcing across the sea.

"Terara!" Grandmother shouted to her grandson.

The boy slid down the rock face and ran towards the baanya where his tribe were preparing to dance a Corroboree. The changing of the season. From summer to winter and all other seasonal changes were celebrated. All tribes give thanks for a good harvest of food; meat, fish and good hunting.

Baiame (Great Spirit) sat upon the clouds watching over the tribe. Smiling at Terara, the boy who would be a Sky Dancer.

"When you have done your chores, you can take your brother up the mountain to see if you can spear some wallaby."

"Oh, grandmother do I have to take Weejun? He is so small and can't climb too well?" Terara crossed his arms and stamped his broad foot in the sand.

"Weejun has to learn how to hunt, who better to teach him?" Grandmother smiled behind a banana leaf.

After cleaning out the fire-pit and sweeping the gunya's out, Terara picked up his spear and woomera.

"Come on Weejun, we are going hunting on the big mountain."
"Don't want to go," Weejun wailed.

Weejun was very small for his six years, clumsy and shy. He had no chance of using a woomera to hurl a spear at a wallaby.

"You big Picanniny, how you gonna learn to hunt?" Terara grabbed the boy and made him walk in front by prodding him with his woomera.

"Grandmother needs meat for our people, we have to try and find a wallaby or goanna," Terara kept prodding his brother forward.

The bright sun was rising high in the sky as the boys reached the peak of Bandaar mountain. As Terara looked across the sea, he saw a most beautiful rainbow. Entranced, he sat down to watch where it started and where it finished.

The boys could hear the roar of the sea below them. Then, a deep male voice spoke:

"So, you want to be a sky dancer, Terara?" Goanna clung to the Leopard tree with his head turned towards the boys. Baiame was disguised as a goanna, not to frighten the boys.

"How can you speak to us, goanna?" Terara quizzed the lizard.

"I am your Maker, and I can help you become a sky dancer," Baiame replied.

After speaking for quite a while, Terara looked for his brother Weejun, he had left the mountain to return to his baanya. He was too frightened by the goanna's voice to stay with his big brother.

"See the rainbow across the sea?"
"Of course I can, where does it come from?"

Baiame grinned, showing his sharp goanna teeth.

"I created all things, and the rainbow comes from the rising waters on this island," Baiame was changing from lizard to man.

Terara was petrified when he saw the transformation. His creator was now a very tall black man. Handsome, chiselled features, wearing a kangaroo skin about his lithe body.

They sat together for hours, discussing the clouds and storms, finally the rainbow.

"Take my hand and we will sky walk the rainbow, don't be afraid my son, no harm will come to you because I hold you fast."

They walked towards the cliff face and Baiame told Terara not to look down. Stepping off the mountain, flying through the clouds and finally walking the rainbow, Terara had become a sky dancer.

Many years passed, no body of the boy was found. The small island near to K'gari was called Lizard Island, it still is today.

Terara was changed into Jayawah, the water spirit. He lives with his Creator and is a sky dancer. When the mist rises he rides the rainbow.