Bunjil Tattoo Meaning

Creation, the law, and the eagle creator who watches from the sky.

Bunjil is the eagle creator who watches from the sky — the great ancestral being of southeastern Australia who created the land, the people, and the law, then rose up as the wedge-tailed eagle to keep watch over all he had made from above. To carry Bunjil is to carry creation, the law, and the eagle creator who watches from the sky — the maker of the land and the law who became the highest-flying bird, the creator who took eagle form to remain present, the lawgiver whose gaze watches over creation from on high.

For the Aboriginal peoples of southeastern Australia, Bunjil is the great creator-ancestor, who takes the form of the wedge-tailed eagle. In the Dreaming, Bunjil created the land and its features, made the first people and gave them life, and established the law — the proper ways of living, the customs and rules by which the people were to conduct their lives. As the creator and lawgiver, Bunjil shaped both the world and the order by which it was to be lived in.

Having completed his work of creation and law-giving, Bunjil rose up into the sky, becoming the eagle — and from the heights he watches still over the land, the people, and the law he established. He is the creator who did not depart but ascended to keep watch from above, the great eagle in the high sky who sees all and oversees the keeping of the law he gave. Bunjil remains present as the eagle, the ancestral creator watching over his creation from on high. The Aboriginal Australian Bunjil is thus the eagle creator and lawgiver — the great ancestor who made the land, the people, and the law, then rose as the eagle to watch over all from the sky. Bunjil is the great creator-ancestor of southeastern Australia who made the land, people, and law and rose up as the eagle to watch over them from the sky. The Aboriginal Australian Bunjil is the eagle creator and lawgiver — for the Aboriginal peoples of southeastern Australia the great creator-ancestor who takes the form of the wedge-tailed eagle; in the Dreaming Bunjil created the land and its features, made the first people and gave them life, and established the law (the proper ways of living, the customs and rules by which the people were to conduct their lives), the creator and lawgiver who shaped both the world and the order by which it was to be lived — and having completed his work, rising up into the sky and becoming the eagle, watching still from the heights over the land, the people, and the law he established, the creator who did not depart but ascended to keep watch from above, the great eagle in the high sky who sees all and oversees the keeping of his law, remaining present as the eagle.

Bunjil is the creator being of the Kulin nations of southeastern Australia — a wedge-tailed eagle who created the land, the people, and the law (lore) governing human relationships. He is depicted in ancient rock art at Bunjil's Shelter in the Grampians with his two wedge-tailed eagle companions. After completing creation, he transformed permanently into the wedge-tailed eagle — Australia's largest bird of prey, whose soaring flight above the landscape is his ongoing presence and watchfulness. In tattoo symbolism, Bunjil represents the creator who stays — not the distant god who makes and withdraws but the one who transforms into the form best suited to continued presence and oversight.

Bunjil across cultures

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