churinga
churinga (Tjuringa) In Australian mythology, sacred objects of stone or wood in which the spirits of ancestors come to dwell; also, a mnemonic device for storytelling. These churingas are ritually decorated, they have high totemic significance, and they are guarded with great secrecy. They are also a symbol of the individual possessor’s eternal identity.
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante