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Dhawurr or Batjbarra (Fish Trap)

Dhawurr, or Batjbarra, is a traditional fishing method used by Indigenous people in the Arafura Swamp and surrounding wetlands of Arnhem Land. Yolŋu now prefer the modern fishing methods of reels and bait, however, weavers continue to make Batjbarra for cultural conservation and to be sold as decorative pieces.

When used for practical purposes, the Batjbarra was placed into the river with the opening facing oncoming fish. The woven tunnel trapped the fish with the weave tight enough to prevent escape but loose enough to allow water to freely flow through. The traps tapered so that when they were submerged, the water pressure wedged them into place.

The primary material used in this piece is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, that were harvested using a long wooden hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, with the smaller fibres being dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create the fish trap.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

Categories: Bula'bula Arts

Name: Mary Dhapalany (1)

Language: Mandhalpuy

Community: Ramingining

Biography:

Mary is a proud Mandhalpuy woman has been a practicing artist for four decades, and her weaving artwork is representative of traditional craft passed down through generations of women weavers in her family. The 70-year-old artist uses natural dyes, extracted from earth pigment or plant roots, to colour the pandanus leaf (gunga) used in her work. Mary is considered a master weaver in Arnhem Land. Due to her career and accolades, she has made Yolngu weaving visible.

Mary’s weavings are much sought after and she was recently invited to represent Australia in the Aichi Triennale, Japan and in Craft Masters Asia Pacific Program, China. Her pieces are in the following collections; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Chicago School of Business, Artbank, Sydney, University of Sydney and Janet Holmes a’ Court Collection. Mary was part of the team who won the National Indigenous Fashion Award for her collaboration with MAARA designer Julie Shaw. Mary was the recent recipient of the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region Craft Master Award in 2023.

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