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Yawkyawk, Ngalyod and Buluwana
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Yawkyawk, Ngalyod and Buluwana
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Modjarrkki (Freshwater crocodile) & Namurre Boko (two brothers – Jay Rostron
Modjarrkki
Modjarrkki is the freshwater crocodile only eats little fish like barramundi and saratoga. He doesn’t eat big things like kangaroo.
Namurre Boko (Two Brother’s Story)
‘Bini-murreko means two brothers – big brother and little brother.
Two brothers were really strong leaders and good hunters, sharing animals with different tribes.
With those different tribe there were jealousy going on.
Little brother went walkabout and heard the different tribe was talking about his tribe.
They said ngarribin manre djed-djedme bokko
Meaning: will make spear for them
Ngarrbin danj-bun, ngarrbinbun
Meaning: will spear them kill them
little brother turn around went back tell his brother
Namurre bokko kadi marne djed-djedme Karre wonens, kardi-djal danjbun
Meaning: they making spear for us, they gonna spear us
Couple of months they saw different tribe
They changed their attitude
They been bringing lots of animals to them and start asking for women
And that tribe realise that’s how those brothers died.
They kill them
This Why? They got jealous because two brothers was a good hunter.
This story written on the rock art and it stays forever.’
This story was transcribed by Jay Jurrupula Rostron. Her lino designs illustrate the different scenes in this ancestral story. Jay is a meticulous artist with a fine lino carving technique and beautiful colour combinations that reflect the Arnhem Land environment and her homeland near Korlobididah.
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Ngalyod and Mimih
Hand dyed by Deborah Wurrkidj and printed in the studio by her niece Abigail Namundja who has achieved a soft bark like texture.
The purple-pink through to brown colour comes from – Wirndilk (the seeds of the Haemodorum coccineum plant, related to Kangaroo Paw)
Rainbow serpent, daughter of the Mother One Rainbow Yingarna. The rainbow serpent is a central figure in traditional Bininj religion. She is the creator of places and is active during the wet season and is asssociated with rain and bodies of water. Rainbow serpents live in deep waterholes and rivers. Marrkidjbu are able to discern their presence and control them.’ Source – https://www.njamed.com/
377810582169113
Ngalyod and Mimih
Hand dyed by Deborah Wurrkidj and printed in the studio by her niece Abigail Namundja who has achieved a soft bark like texture.
The purple-pink through to brown colour comes from – Wirndilk (the seeds of the Haemodorum coccineum plant, related to Kangaroo Paw)
Rainbow serpent, daughter of the Mother One Rainbow Yingarna. The rainbow serpent is a central figure in traditional Bininj religion. She is the creator of places and is active during the wet season and is asssociated with rain and bodies of water. Rainbow serpents live in deep waterholes and rivers. Marrkidjbu are able to discern their presence and control them.’ Source – https://www.njamed.com/
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Kunwardde dja Kunronj (Rocks and Billabong)
Abigail has depicted the waterholes or Kunwardde dja Kunronj (Sacred Rocks and Billabong) that lie on the plains near Mankorlod, the country for which she is a traditional owner.
The waterholes remain wet throughout the year, even during dry season. This site is connected to the artist’s djang (dreaming), the ngalng (freshwater yabbie) and stone country. Mankorlod homeland is a three-hour drive from Maningrida in the kunwardde (stone country).
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Marebu and Ngalyod
This textile combines designs by Jennifer Wurrjidj and her daughter Abigail Namundja. Marebu (pandanus mat), ngalyod (rainbow serpent) and other designs – Jabiru come together to make something quite remarkable.
Ngalyod (Rainbow serpent)
Rainbow spirit coming from billabong.
Rainbow serpent dreaming. Coming from billabong, that place we call billabong where that ngalyod (rainbow serpent) lives.
All that wayuk (waterlily), all them kundalk (grass) and pandanus, making skirt.
That’s the story now. – Jennifer Wurrkidj 2021
Rainbow serpent, daughter of the Mother One Rainbow Yingarna. The rainbow serpent is a central figure in traditional Bininj religion. She is the creator of places and is active during the wet season and is asssociated with rain and bodies of water. Rainbow serpents live in deep waterholes and rivers. Marrkidjbu are able to discern their presence and control them.’ Source – https://www.njamed.com/
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Ngalyod and Marebu
This textile combines designs by Jennifer Wurrjidj and her daughter Abigail Namundja. Marebu (pandanus mat), ngalyod (rainbow serpent) and other designs – Jabiru come together to make something quite remarkable.
Ngalyod (Rainbow serpent)
Rainbow spirit coming from billabong.
Rainbow serpent dreaming. Coming from billabong, that place we call billabong where that ngalyod (rainbow serpent) lives.
All that wayuk (waterlily), all them kundalk (grass) and pandanus, making skirt.
That’s the story now. – Jennifer Wurrkidj 2021
Rainbow serpent, daughter of the Mother One Rainbow Yingarna. The rainbow serpent is a central figure in traditional Bininj religion. She is the creator of places and is active during the wet season and is asssociated with rain and bodies of water. Rainbow serpents live in deep waterholes and rivers. Marrkidjbu are able to discern their presence and control them.’ Source – https://www.njamed.com/
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Kunngol (cloud)
This design depicts certain Kunngol (cloud) that signal to people of central Arnhem Land that the end of the wet season is approaching. After months of daily monsoonal rain in Arnhem Land, these clouds are light and fluffy, not like the dark, heavy clouds of the monsoonal sky. At the time of the kunngol clouds, people know the country will soon dry up and the cold season (dry season) will arrive. When the kunngol clouds appear, all of the billabongs are already filled, the rivers are high and the country is brimming with life and fresh new growth after months of fresh water pouring from the sky.