Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia / cotton / jute. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. Size of bowl: 8 x 12cm
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Man-djarduk (Red Bush Apples)
Deborah Wurrkidj is a Kuninjku artist from the Kurulk clan whose country lies around the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land.
In this design she has depicted man-djarduk (red bush apples) – a sweet, crisp bush food that is a favourite to collect.
Man-djarduk fruits in kurrung and kunumeleng seasons, the build-up and first rains seasons.
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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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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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Djomi (Fresh Water Spirit)
This design depicts the story of the artist’s ancestral dreaming, the Djomi fresh water spirit mermaid.
The Djomi figure is a mermaid like spirit with fish tail that lives in the fresh water stream that flows out to the sea cliff near Maningrida. Djomi is a known to be a very powerful fertility symbol.
‘If you go there you can get pregnant easily. Djomi has babies, and they can give others babies too. The Djomi spirit is so powerful, that women can end up with multiple babies at once, twins or sometimes even more. The Djomi spirits lay eggs near the sacred freshwater stream in Maningrida. Inside the eggs are human babies as well as young Djomi.
Men do not go near that swamp, because Djomi is so powerful that men might get pregnant there too. So men, they are too scared of that Djomi. When we visit the Djomi freshwater spring, we can hear young Djomi crying. They sound like normal babies crying, those Djomi spirits. They are looking for a mother.
This Djomi is my dreaming, I got permission from my djunguys to paint this Djomi design. For me I always ask my djunguy permission to paint, because that is our cultural way.
This design also depicts the fresh water lily leaves, and seaweed from the base of the sea floor.
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Djomi (Fresh Water Spirit)
This design depicts the story of the artist’s ancestral dreaming, the Djomi fresh water spirit mermaid.
The Djomi figure is a mermaid like spirit with fish tail that lives in the fresh water stream that flows out to the sea cliff near Maningrida. Djomi is a known to be a very powerful fertility symbol.
‘If you go there you can get pregnant easily. Djomi has babies, and they can give others babies too. The Djomi spirit is so powerful, that women can end up with multiple babies at once, twins or sometimes even more. The Djomi spirits lay eggs near the sacred freshwater stream in Maningrida. Inside the eggs are human babies as well as young Djomi.
Men do not go near that swamp, because Djomi is so powerful that men might get pregnant there too. So men, they are too scared of that Djomi. When we visit the Djomi freshwater spring, we can hear young Djomi crying. They sound like normal babies crying, those Djomi spirits. They are looking for a mother.
This Djomi is my dreaming, I got permission from my djunguys to paint this Djomi design. For me I always ask my djunguy permission to paint, because that is our cultural way.
This design also depicts the fresh water lily leaves, and seaweed from the base of the sea floor.
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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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Bulbuji
I’m Kuku-Yalanji woman. My mum is from Wujal Wujal and my dad is from Laura, Chillagoe and Cooktown. For us Bama (Kuku-Yalanji people), we can’t touch bulbuji or wurarr-wurarr. They are sacred. Bulbuji start flying around once the rains come, they are also maja (boss) for bana (water) and the walkurr (water goanna).
After the rains come everything comes to life. It’s the time when special plants flower and tell us to go hunting for different animals. Everything is connected for us. The plants and animals. Everything.
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Dikal, Bird
There are many Dikal’s living on our bubu, country. I love camping with my families, anywhere, down the beach or at the river and listening to the Dikal’s singing.
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Kababina & Kunjuri
I am a Nyungul woman. My art depicts cultural, historical and contemporary stories from my bubu (Country) located in the Helensvale and Shipton’s Flat areas in Far North Queensland.
I wanted to paint one of the many lagoons from my Country. A kunjuri (shield) shape represents the lagoon and I have then painted my water lilies floating in the water. This lagoon has lots of long-neck turtles. The spaces between the kababina represent the turtles pushing aside the plants and making corridors as they swim through the water.
There are many species of kababina (water lilies) that grow in the lagoons and wetlands on my bubu (Country). There are lots of different colours, big and small ones.
My father told me that in the old days bama (people) would harvest the water lilies for food. I love going out bush with my family and enjoy looking at the wetlands, plants and animals.
Nature is the inspiration for my artwork. Anne Nunn