Galleries : Undying Tales 2021 : UT 16 - Southern Cassowary
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SOUTHERN CASSOWARY - 6.5x6.5 inches $200.00 sold
Casuarius casuarius johnsonii Status: Endangered Large and flightless, the cassowary is an icon of Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Rainforest Aboriginal people have a cultural relationship with the birds, revering them in songs, story, and dance, and respectfully hunting them for food. One of the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories tells of how the cassowary got its unique looking casque atop its head. Long ago, the animals all lived together. They would gather at watering holes to drink, but cassowary was shy to join because he was self-conscious of his small wings and inability to fly. When the other animals saw and taunted him, he charged in a rage, missing his target and instead bashing his head into a large rock, part of which broke and stuck to his head. That night, the animals were attacked by snakes, and as cassowary ran into to the fray. When the snakes laughed at his flightless wings, he once again flew into a rage, and charged about, scratching at the snakes and smashing them with his stone-topped head, until the snakes were defeated. After that, the other animals no longer teased him, and he became their protector.
Size: 7 x 7 inches Detail closeups:
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