Aboriginal people in the rocky environments of western and south-western Arnhem Land tell of the existence of tall slender spirits which they call Mimih. The people of these lands believe that Mimih spirits live in a social organisation similar to Aboriginal people and that Mimih society existed before humans. Mimih are credited with instructing the first people with knowledge relating to survival in the rocky environment of the Arnhem Land plateau. Mimih are said to have taught the first humans how to hunt and butcher game and also how to dance, sing and paint.
Despite the usual description of Mimih as being benign towards humans sometimes however they are attributed with mischievous and dangerous qualities, capable of kidnapping and even killing humans. 'Clever' men, or Aboriginal men with supernatural powers sometimes befriend the Mimih and are taught their songs and dances and shown their secret places.
The Mimih are like people using the same kinship terms and speaking the same language as the local Aboriginal group. They live in families like humans and it is said that some of these Aboriginal men with mystical knowledge have spent time living with them in their camps.
Mimih are terribly thin, having necks so slender that that a stiff breeze would be fatal. For this reason they emerge only on windless days and nights to hunt.
