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Wak (Black Crow Ancestor)
This etching depicts a sacred site at Kurrurldul, an outstation south of Maningrida. The work represents the crow totem ancestor called Djimarr. Today this being exists in the form of a rock, which is permanently submerged at the bottom of Kurrurldul Creek. “Wak was a black crow, long time ago and she turned to stone. This sacred site now in the water and on our country. Now Wak stays forever in that stone. That rock has got three holes in it.” The Djimarr rock in the stream at Kurrurldul is said to move around and call out in a soft hooting tone at night. Both the stone itself and the area around it are considered sacred. This imagery of the stone, is the final transmutation of the dreaming ancestor Djimarr. The fine cross-hatching shown in the design is a technique called rarrk painting, which is a tradition shared by generations of Kuninjku artists. “This is same rarrk style I do like dolopo (stringy-bark painting). Wak is same like rock but sacred site. Our Kurrurldul homeland, we are all sharing that place, our land’
