Bobbi-Bobbi is a huge supernatural snake of the Dreamtime in the stories of the Binbinga, a people of northern Australia. The tale makes him a giver of flying foxes and of the first boomerang, cut from his own rib, until a defiant throw brought death to humans.
- A huge heaven-dwelling snake of the Dreamtime, likened to the Rainbow Serpent
- He made flying foxes for humans to catch and eat
- His own rib became the first boomerang
- The rib-boomerang torn through the clouds brought the first death
- After that first death he stayed aloof in heaven
What it is
In the stories of the Binbinga, a people of northern Australia, Bobbi-Bobbi is a supernatural being of the Dreamtime, the age of beginnings in which the world was shaped. He takes the form of a huge snake and is likened to the Rainbow Serpent. At first he was a friend to humankind. Looking down from heaven, he judged that people could not live on water alone, and he gave them two things: the flying fox, a large bat, to catch and eat, and the first boomerang, made from his own rib. The tale also tells why that helpfulness came to an end.
Where it comes from
The tale is told of the Binbinga of northern Australia and is counted as part of Australian Aboriginal mythology. Reference works such as Oxford Reference list the figure. Within the story, his home is the sky: he dwelt in the heavens through the Dreamtime, long before the tale's human characters. The narrative works as a story of first things. It explains how people came to hold the first boomerang, and how Death first came among them, after which the great helper withdrew.
Tools and materials
Two gifts carry the story. The first is food: flying foxes, large bats, sent down from heaven for people to catch. The second is the rib itself. When the bats rose beyond reach, Bobbi-Bobbi took a rib from his own body and handed it over, and humans used it as a throwing weapon, the first boomerang. That same object ends the friendship. Hurled at the sky, it tore a hole in the clouds, then dropped back to Earth and struck the two men dead.
Bobbi-Bobbi, drawn and placed
- Living
- Revived
- Fading
- Historical
- Legendary
- Performed
- Lineage
- Australian Aboriginal mythology
What it is for
In the tradition, Bobbi-Bobbi's gifts were meant as care. From heaven he saw that people needed more than water to stay alive, so he sent flying foxes down as food. When the bats rose too high for anyone to catch, he went further and gave the rib that became the first boomerang. The story then turns on ingratitude. Some humans were not satisfied with what they had and were curious to see heaven for themselves. They claimed they meant to break through the sky and thank him face to face; the throw went wrong, and he stopped helping.
At a glance: who, where and when
Peoples
What people believe
The story rests on a layered world: people on the Earth, powerful beings in the heavens above, and the Dreamtime as the era when their dealings took place. Beings of that age could shape animals for human use and hand down tools from their own bodies. It also sets a rule about limits. Human reach toward the sky turned a gift into a weapon, the giver was startled into missing his catch, and the tale marks that moment as the first coming of Death. Ever after, in the telling, Bobbi-Bobbi keeps to heaven and offers nothing more.
Questions people ask about Bobbi-Bobbi
What is Bobbi-Bobbi?
In Binbinga myth he is a supernatural snake who lived in the heavens during the Dreamtime. Huge and likened to the Rainbow Serpent, he began as a benefactor of humans, sending them food and the first boomerang before withdrawing from the world.
Where does the story come from?
It is told of the Binbinga, a people of northern Australia, and sits within Australian Aboriginal mythology. Reference works such as Oxford Reference record the figure, and the tale is set in the Dreamtime, the era of beginnings in that storytelling tradition.
Why did Bobbi-Bobbi give humans a boomerang?
The story says he saw that people needed more than water to survive. After he made flying foxes for food, the bats rose too high to catch, so he took a rib from his own body and gave it to humans as the first boomerang.
How does the story end?
Two men claimed they meant to break through the sky and thank him in person; their hurled rib tore the clouds and startled him so that he missed the catch, and the falling boomerang killed them. That, the story says, was the first coming of Death.
Is Bobbi-Bobbi the Rainbow Serpent?
The tale likens him to the Rainbow Serpent while keeping him his own figure: a huge snake of the Dreamtime heavens, remembered for the flying foxes, the rib that became the first boomerang, and his final withdrawal from human affairs.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bobbi-Bobbi", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryJaadu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Names and customs differ from one community to the next, and some knowledge is closed to outsiders and left out here. This page describes belief and practice. It does not say that any of it works, it is not a how-to, and it is not medical advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-17.
More from Australia
All the entries from Australia
🇦🇺 AustraliaRainbow Serpent
A creator spirit of water and land in Aboriginal Australian mythologyBeing · Healing · Cursing and harm Living
🇦🇺 AustraliaKurdaitchakwertatye
A ritual executioner and feathered shoes of the Arrernte people in Central Australia.Tradition · Cursing and harm · Power and authority Historical
🇦🇺 AustraliaMokoi
An evil spirit in Yolngu mythology that kills sorcerers and kidnaps childrenBeing · Cursing and harm Legendary
🇦🇺 AustraliaMimi
Elongated rock-dwelling beings from Arnhem Land who taught Aboriginal people to paint and huntBeing Legendary
Related elsewhere
All being
🇮🇳 IndiaChakraचक्र
Meditation points in the subtle body used in Hindu and Buddhist yogaTradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFountain of Youth
A legendary spring said to reverse aging and cure illness, appearing in myths across the world.Belief · Healing · Change and initiation Legendary
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreKabbalahקַבָּלָה
An esoteric school of thought within Judaism focused on the hidden meanings of scripture and the divine.Tradition · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living
🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreIbn Arabiمحيي الدين أبو عبد الله محمد بن علي بن عربي الحاتمي الطائي
A medieval Andalusian mystic and philosopher whose teachings shaped Sufi metaphysics across the Islamic world.Text · Speaking with spirits and the dead · Change and initiation Living