Rediscovering Momo and The Neverending Story Through a Wiradjuri Lens

Don’t Whistle, 2024 

Storytelling as Cultural Knowledge and Imagination

As a kid, The Neverending Story and Momo (Michael Ende) were more than just books—they were realms of imagination, friendship, and moral lessons that left a lasting impression. Revisiting these stories through a Wiradjuri perspective reveals shared values rooted in respect, responsibility, and imagination. These Western narratives, viewed alongside Wiradjuri teachings such as Mirriyula, the Ghost Dog, and Yindyamarra Winhanganha, demonstrate the universal role of storytelling in preserving wisdom, guiding choices, and projecting cultural knowledge into the future.

In Wiradjuri culture, storytelling is a powerful vehicle for transmitting knowledge across generations. Stories like Mirriyula blends wisdom and imagination, teaching ethical behaviour, respect for relationships, and cultural continuity. Similarly, Momo and The Neverending Story reflect how stories help individuals navigate life’s complexities while ensuring shared values endure over time.

Yindyamarra Winhanganha: A Foundation for Life

At the heart of Wiradjuri teachings is Yindyamarra Winhanganha, which translates to “the wisdom of respectfully knowing how to live well in a world worth living in.” This principle shapes all aspects of life—relationships within the community, interactions with the land, and personal conduct—by emphasising respect, patience, and balance.

Yindyamarra Winhanganha manifests in daily practices like listening to Elders, revering the land, and sharing resources thoughtfully. It reflects a worldview where time flows in cycles, and the past, present, and future are deeply interconnected. In this way, Wiradjuri culture ensures that teachings from the past guide present actions and inspire futures grounded in cultural integrity.

This principle of living well resonates deeply within the themes of listening and connection explored in Momo.

Listening and Connection in Momo

The protagonist’s unique strength in Momo is her ability to listen deeply. This attentiveness enables her to foster genuine connections, countering the isolating influence of the Grey Gentlemen, who prioritise efficiency over presence. By listening to her community and resisting the pressure to “save time,” Momo helps restore joy and relationships, reminding everyone of the importance of being present with one another.

This theme resonates with Yindyamarra Winhanganha, where listening is an active and relational practice that fosters respect, patience, and empathy. In Wiradjuri culture, listening honours knowledge passed down by Elders strengthens communal bonds, and connects individuals to the land. Like Momo, Mirriyula encourages individuals to engage deeply with the world, walking paths of respect and responsibility.

Just as Momo’s listening becomes an act of resistance against detachment, Mirriyula reminds us that connection and attentiveness are central to living well.

Imagination and Responsibility in The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story tells of imagination under threat. Fantasia’s survival depends on Bastian’s ability to preserve vitality by embracing creativity and rejecting apathy. However, Bastian’s journey requires him to confront his self-centeredness and recognise the far-reaching consequences of his choices.

This evolution mirrors Wiradjuri cultural values, where imagination and responsibility are intertwined. Stories like Mirriyula show how imagination envisions possibilities and guides respectful choices that sustain the community and environment. Bastian’s realisation that his actions ripple outward—affecting Fantasia and beyond—illustrates how choices shape the present and our connection to the past and future.

Bastian’s journey reminds us that imagination is a personal gift and a communal responsibility that sustains balance and connection across generations. This interconnected understanding of imagination and responsibility resonates deeply with the role of Mirriyula in Wiradjuri storytelling, where narrative knowledge guides choices and fosters relational balance.

Mirriyula: A Model of Narrative Knowledge

In Wiradjuri storytelling, characters like Mirriyula the Ghost Dog embody the integration of narrative, knowledge, and cultural values. Mirriyula is more than a story; it is a guiding presence, reminding listeners of the interconnectedness of all actions and the balance necessary for a meaningful life.

This principle extends to stories like Momo and The Neverending Story, encouraging audiences to reflect on ethical choices and communal responsibilities. Through Mirriyula and similar stories, knowledge is passed across generations, ensuring cultural teachings remain relevant while inspiring individuals to project these values into the future.

Mirriyula serves as a bridge between knowledge and responsibility, uniting storytelling with an interconnected understanding of time and relationships.

Stories as Bridges Across Cultures and Times

Viewing Momo and The Neverending Story through a Wiradjuri lens reveals them as more than childhood tales—they are cultural bridges, connecting Western and Indigenous traditions through shared themes of respect, responsibility, and imagination.

My experiences and learning shape these reflections, which I offer as part of my ongoing engagement with Wiradjuri language and storytelling. Revisiting these stories reminds me of their personal significance and storytelling’s profound role in connecting cultures, teaching values, and inspiring futures. In the spirit of Yindyamarra Winhanganha, these narratives guide us toward living well—in a world worth living in.


I want to acknowledge Uncle Stan Grant Snr and Teish Harris for their invaluable teachings and contributions to Wiradjuri language and cultural knowledge. Their guidance has profoundly shaped my understanding of Yindyamarra Winhanganha and Wiradjuri storytelling. This work is offered in the spirit of respect and learning as part of my ongoing journey to honour and uphold Wiradjuri knowledge systems.

Clinton Hayden is a Wiradjuri Blak queer artist and writer based in Melbourne. His practice spans photography, AI image creation, print media, drawing, and bricolage, exploring the intersections of personal and collective histories. Clinton’s work is deeply informed by his commitment to preserving and promoting Wiradjuri language and engaging with Indigenous Queer Futurism.