In WesternAustralian Aboriginal mythology, theWati kutjara (alsoWati kutjarra orWadi Gudjara) are two younglizard-men (totem:goanna) who, in theDreaming, travelled all over theWestern Desert. In English, theirsongline is often called theTwo Men Dreaming.[1] The Wati kutjara are ubiquitous in themythology of theWestern Desert;[2] Their journey extends for thousands of kilometres, stretching from theKimberley toSouth Australia.[1]
Wati kutjara is one of the most importantDreamings aroundBalgo;[2] inKukatja narratives, the Wati kutjara are often likened to the wind, whose form they adopt when in danger.[2] The men's first action is to sing about their names in order to establish their own identity.[3] Then they decide to travel about, and eventually decide to head south-east in order to enlighten the people there who do not possess therituals known to theDreaming heroes. As they travel, they sing of the animals, plants and geographic features that they encounter, naming them and calling them into being.[3] Filled with magical power, these two unmarried brothers eventually travelled all over theWestern Desert destroying many dangerous evil spirits.[4] They also createdsacred objects.[3]
The Wati kutjara feature in innumerable stories, whose details vary from region to region. In one recension, they are credited withcastrating the Man in the Moon by throwing a magicalboomerang,Kidili, because he tried torape the first woman.[5] In other versions, the Wati kutjara are the ones attempting to seduce the same group of women.[2]