Monstrum

Currently Playing: Yara-ma-yha-who: Australia’s Regurgitating, Blood-Sucking Monster | Monstrum

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateStoried ↓ More info below ↓ Don’t miss future episodes of Monstrum, subscribe! http://bit.ly/pbsstoried_sub The Australian wilderness is a dangerous place—in part because it’s the rumored hunting ground of a vampiric creature who uses its fingers and toes to suck your blood. Fall prey to the Yara-ma-yha-who and you risk not only being swallowed whole but becoming a monster yourself. In this episode, you’ll learn about how Aboriginal communities’ deep connection to the land contributed to the creation of these diminutive humanoid “spirit men'' whose purpose goes beyond scaring children into staying close to home. So what purpose does a red-skinned, tree-dwelling, vomiting creature with suction cup fingertips serve? Find out as you learn how the Yara-ma-yha-who’s story is intrinsically tied both to the cultural identity and to the history of the Aboriginal people who tell its stories. #yaramayhawho #aboriginalmythology #australianmonster #MonstrumPBS Written and Hosted by: Emily Zarka Director: David Schulte Executive Producer: Amanda Fox Producer: Stephanie Noone Illustrator: Samuel Allen Editor: Derek Borsheim Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios. Dr. Zarka would like to sincerely thank Philip Clarke, Ph.D. of the South Australian Museum for his aid with understanding the continued importance of spirit beings to Aboriginal communities, and for the always generous distribution of his knowledge. Monstrum is better because of the goodwill of people like you. The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D., takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans' unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monstrumpbs/ ----------- BIBLIOGRAPHY: Clarke, Philip A. “Indigenous Spirit and Ghost Folklore of ‘Settled’ Australia. Folklore, 118, 2007, pp. 141-161. Clarke, Philip A. “Spirit Beings and the Aboriginal Landscape of the Lower Murrary, South Australia.” Records of the South Australia Museum, 31(2), 1999, pp. 149-163. Clarke, Philip A. “Terrestrial Spirit Beings.” Aboriginal Biocultural Knowledge in South-eastern Australia: Perspectives of Early Colonists. Ed. Fred Cahir, Ian D. Clark, and Philip A. Clarke. Pp.-19-34. Starrs, Bruno. “Writing Indigenous Vampires: Aboriginal Gothic or Aboriginal Fantastic?” M/C Journal, 7(4), 2014. Sugiyama, Michelle Scalise Sugiyama. “Monster Stories Vis-à-vis the Problem of Errant Children.” Creating Consilience : Integrating the Sciences and the Humanities : Integrating the Sciences and the Humanities, edited by Edward Slingerland, and Mark Collard, Oxford University Press USA, 2011, pp. 351-371. Poirier, Sylvie. A World of Relationships: Itineraries, Dreams, and Events in the Australian Western Desert. University of Toronto Press, 2005. Reed, A. W. Aboriginal Fables and Legendary Tales. Reed Books, 1984.