Aboriginal totems
Aboriginal society is governed by roles and responsibilities – lore passed on through the generations from the time of the Dreaming. Totems carry special lore (rules) which affect the relationship Aboriginal people have with their environment, their totem and each other.
Burramatta means place where eels lie down
The Burramatta People (Burramattagal) of the Darug nation traditionally lived around Parramatta. The Eel is the totem of the Burramattagal Language group.
The Burramattagal observe that when Parramatta Green Wattle is in blossom in their area, the adult and young eels are returning from the saltwater of the ocean to estuarine waters after their migration to spawning grounds in warmer waters.
The Burramattagal are responsible for caring for the eel and its environment to sustain the life cycle of eels and ensure its future. The Burramattagal wove eel traps to catch the eel as they swam upstream.
Watch our video to learn more about Aboriginal totems
Festival of the Eel
The eel life cycle created an annual calendar event. Each year Freshwater and Saltwater Peoples gathered here for meetings and ceremonies and, as part of the Burramattagal’s cultural economy (trade), a carer of the eel would be designated for the festival to share that natural resource with others at these gatherings, eel is considered a delicacy by other Peoples.
These gatherings are celebrated today as the annual Parramatta Eel Festival and in respect of the importance of the eel to the Parramatta area, eel is the mascot for the locally based National Rugby League team.
Watch this video to learn more about long-finned eels at Centennial Parklands