July 2024

Mimi Spirit Bronze & Steel Base (ed. 5 of 6)

Wood carving has always been part of Aboriginal culture and Djilpin artists continue this tradition. Men carved wood for many purposes – tools for hunting or gathering food, axes and knives for building shelters, spears and clubs for protection of their lives and territory, objects for ceremony and to mark sacred sites.

Hunting implements include the boomerang, woomera and spear. The woomera is a lever which helps to increase the speed and distance the spear travels. Clapsticks are used as percussion instruments by the Songmen to accompany dancing along with the didgeridoo (mago).

As well as the more functional carvings, artists portray animals and birds in wood, and these carvings are often painted. Ceremonial carvings include spirit creatures including mukuy (devil devils) and mimi.

Some fine mimi figures have been cast in bronze.

Mako (Key F, Toot B)

Key: F
Toot: B

Didjeridus from this region are made in the West Arnhem style. Called Mago, they’re different and special and follow the tradition made famous by Beswick’s Mago Master, elder David Blanasi.Ghunmarn didjeridus are hand cut by Aboriginal people on Aboriginal land. They are drilled out naturally by termites, not by machines. Top quality musical instruments, they are used in ceremony and performance and feature traditional designs handed painted with a grass brush. Supplied with natural sugar-bag wax mouthpieces, these are the genuine article.Didjeridus from Ghunmarn Culture Centre are hand-cut from the woolybutt tree and naturally termite eaten. Some cheaper didjerdius can be drilled out by machine. If you want to be sure yours is termite-eaten look inside, if it is a bit rough the termites have been at work, smooth interiors are a sign of drilling. Ghunmarn artists travel considerable distances on foot to find the just right woolybutt tree. Good instruments are hand-cut and taken back to camp to be worked, shaped, sanded and tuned.Most Ghunamrn didjeridus are high pitch D, low pitch D, F, C or G. The longer the dij the lower the pitch, a shorter didj will give a higher sound.