June 2024

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Long Neck Turtle

Nyangura the Long-Neck Tortoise is Yirritja. The two sacred ancestral Nyangura are found at a place called Djirringi in north-central Arnhem Lane on Ganalbingu land. The tracks left by the two ancestral totemic Nyangura, as they crawled over the land at Djirringi, is a sacred symbol. This symbol is used as a ground design or sand sculpture during cleansing ceremonies otherwise known as Bulu-Lup or Wan’tjirr. During this ceremony, water is poured over the bodies of Yolngu relatives of the deceased as they stand within the sacred ground design representing the marks left on the ground by the two original ancestral Nyangura at Djirringi. Yolngu also dance Nyangura during bunggul ceremonies. Here they may paint the design for Nyanguru and other designs. Nyangura is also food for Yolngu. It is cooked and cut according to age old tradition. The artist has depicted four Long Neck Turtle’s in this painting.

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Catfish + Nailfish

Djilpin Arts is a not for profit Aboriginal Corporation that promotes the maintenance, development and transmission of traditional cultural knowledge systems.

Djilpin Arts specialises in art, live cultural performance, digital media, and produced the popular performance event – the Walking With Spirits Festival as well as Concerts on Country.

Djilpin Arts operates the Ghunmarn Culture Centre – home of the Blanasi Collection and offers fine arts & crafts for sale. Djilpin Arts operates an outlet in Katherine – Shed 5, where all works are sourced from Ghunmarn Culture Centre. Ghunmarn Culture Centre is in the Wugularr (Beswick) community of South East Arnhem Land.

All artworks are made by local artists living in the community. Artwork reflects the traditional songs and stories that have been passed down through the generations with a contemporary edge.  Fibre art is a special feature of Djilpin Arts as is its Gapu Series of fine art prints.

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Wind, Bats & Flowers

This painting depicts wind, bats, and flowers. Wind is shown as “v” shaped marks, while the flowers are five white dots with an inner coloured dot. Bats, a common yet noisy sight around Beswick are also visible on the flower filled panels.

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work is in Yirritja style and consists of three or four lines before alternating colours. This raark is only visible on the bats, however the Jarlk brush has been used for all fine line work.

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Saltwater Fish

This painting shows a saltwater fish story.

You can see a large stingray, along with smaller fish. Gapu or water is visible via the round dot prints.

Painting has been completed using a handmade brush harvested from Jarlk or reeds surrounding billabongs and wet areas. Work is in acrylic paint.

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Crocodile

This smaller painting depicts a freshwater crocodile hiding among the lily roots.

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work is a combination of styles. Yirritja style which consists of three or four lines before alternating colour can be found on the two lily roots. Dhuwa style which has a single line of colour before alternating can be seen on the crocodile body.

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Barramundi & Water Strider

This painting depicts a barramundi along with two water striders.

Painting has been completed using a mix of modern paintbrushes and a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Jarlk brush is used for the fine lines, while the stippling effect uses a modern paintbrush. Acrylic paint is used, with a custom made olive green border mixed from ochre yellow and a splash of black.

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File Snake & Yam

This painting depicts two filesnakes and two freshwater yams. Both are tasty when cooked in coals.

Painting has been completed using a mixture of modern paintbrushes along with a traditional grass reed brush called Jarlk. Raark or fine line work has been completed using this Jarlk brush and is Yirritja style. Yirritja style consists of three or four lines before alternating colour and is visible on the two yams. Modern paintbrush has been used on the file snake, creating a stippling effect.

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Billabong life

This painting depicts multiple creatures found in local billabongs and waterways. At top are two water striders. Below this is an eel tail catfish, followed by a barramundi. At bottom is a file snake.

Painting has been completed using a mixture of modern paintbrushes along with a traditional handmade grass reed called Jarlk. Modern paintbrush has been used to create the stippling effect, while the Jarlk is used for the fine outline work.

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Buffalo feeding

Norman is paralysed down one side and blind in one eye, but despite this is always eager to paint scenes reminding him of being on country. This painting depicts two nanabaru or water buffalo feeding which is a common sight around Arnhem Land. The scene includes a freshwater creek, along with multiple flowering gums and paperbark trees. Flowers or pollen is visible as yellow puffs of colour.

Painting has been completed using modern paintbrushes and acrylic paints. 

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Water Life

This painting depicts a file snake and two barramundi. Also visible are two water lily yams and two water striders.

Painting has been completed using a handmade Jarlk grass reed brush harvested from local billabongs and wet areas. Raark or fine line work has been completed using this brush and is in Yirritja style. This style consists of three or four lines before alternating colour.

Modern paintbrushes have also been used to create a stippling effect. An example of this can be found on the file snake.