111981733580

Published by CompNet Systems on



Buluwana (Kuninjku Spirit Woman)

This design depicts Buluwana with dilly bag on her back holding yam and digging stick. “She’s an old lady from ancestor creation time, before mimi. Her skin name Wamutjan – she is from the Dhuwa moiety. When the mimi came, she turned to stone in stone country out Yikarrakkal and Manmoyi way. But we can’t tell all about Buluwana more further, because it’s a secret. Only my people can know and only djunkai (caretaker) can tell full Buluwana story. But we can draw her. I draw her because she my dreaming. She lives in sacred place, where she turned to stone and lives there now forever.”

Name: Jennifer Wurrkidj


Language: Kuninjku


Community: Maningrida


Biography:

Jennifer Wurrkidj was born in 1973 at Maningrida in north-central Arnhem Land. Her language is Kuninjku and her moiety is Duwa.

Jennifer is a highly regarded artist who works across multiple mediums. her works often feature bush foods and food-collecting and also reference the activities of ancestor beings and the ceremonial sites of her homeland, Mumeka.

Jennifer is a daughter of Australia's most highly acclaimed bark painter, John Mawurndjul, and she is renowned, in her own right, for her bark paintings, hollow logs and carved sculptures. Jennifer's artwork has been exhibited throughout Australia and her textile art is in the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia.


© the artist / art centre