In Many Aboriginal and Islander cultures, the words for ‘month’ and ‘Moon’ are the same, or closely linked. Therefore, a “year” on the Moon is a month. The Moon completes one revolution around Earth with respect to the Sun every 29.5 days. Traditions describe how the cycle of the Moon is linked to time. This tradition not only explains why more of the Moon’s surface it lit as it waxes to Full Moon, but that the light we see on the Moon is reflected sunlight. Eventually she was on the opposite side of him in the sky, fully lit (Full Moon). He illuminated more of her each night to encourage her to catch up (waxing Moon). They rose into the sky together on the first day, but the Sun Man was faster than his wife, and she began to gradually fall behind. A Palawa Creation story tells about about the Sun Man and Moon Woman. In Tasmania, Aboriginal people see this the other way around. He eventually dies for three days (New Moon) before resurrecting as a crescent (waxing Moon), growing again until full. In retribution, his wives attack him, carving his body with their axes, causing him to wane away. Anger drives him to kill his sons as punishment for not sharing their food. When the water drains out, there is a corresponding ebb in the tides. This causes him to grow as he rises becoming full at high tide. Yolngu traditions describe water filling Ngalindi as he rises, becoming full at high tide 2. In Yolngu traditions of coastal Arnhem Land, Ngalindi is the Moon-man. In many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions, the Moon is generally viewed as masculine whilst the Sun is generally feminine 1.
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