chüˈriŋgə noun
also tju·run·ga tyüˈrəŋgə ; or tju·rin·ga -ˈriŋgə
( plural churingas or churinga )
Etymology: native name in Australia
: an object of wood or stone that is considered sacred by various aboriginal tribes of Central Australia and that is often elliptical in shape, bears incised designs, is believed to represent either the spiritual double of a living native or the embodiment of the spirit of a totemic ancestor, and is generally regarded as secret ; sometimes : the quality of sacredness — compare bull-roarer