The Kingfisher, known as Yindili in Kuku Yalanji language, is according to our culture one of the significant messenger birds. The Kingfisher will let us know when to expect a visit from families living in another community, And when we see a Kingfisher close by, we know that something good will soon happen in our personal life.
This painting represents my country in the Pilbara just after the dry season when the country is nearly ready to come back to life before the rain season starts.
The early morning mist over the water is the smoke from the breakfast fires of the Marrga, the creation spirits. According to Yindjibarndi law, in the beginning the sky was very low. When the creation spirits, Marrga, arose from the ground they raised the sky and the world out of the ocean. This creation story is called Ngurru Nyujunnggama, ‘When the World was Soft’. The Marrga gave names and form to the country and then to all the birds and animals. Finally they created the Ngaardangarli, the Aboriginal people.
A special place , for fishing to get fish, mud crab, stingray, black tip shark (Djuduwyi), we used to walk from Mandora Station which is 3 and a half km walking to Warru Creek and back with fish, mud crabs, stingray and turtle eggs during turtle season. Food from the sea was plenty full to catch. Warru Creek is a special place for me and the old people.
All of my paintings, I paint from memory because I don’t have any reference like photos. In my memory I paint the places where I have lived. This place is at the north end of 80 mile beach, near Anna plains Station. It’s a living area for old people at that time when hunting and fresh water was plentiful. During that time they only had spears, no fishing line, Turtles and fish would get caught on the reef and in the little pools. In big tides you would have barramundi, salmon and turtles. They would collect turtle eggs in November, that’s turtle season. They would also collect shellfish like cockleshells and oysters. That is all on the ocean side, then on the plain side they would go hunting for that Wandigi (rough tail goanna)
Springtime is a beautiful blending of colours in our Country. After the rain all the wild flowers come up in a pattern like a puzzle. The artist, Melissa, often sponges her background using colours which include Red, Pink, Yellows and Orange. She painted over this background with her own unique style and bright colours. As in much Aborigional art the artist has represented her country from an aerial perspective.
TBC
Biami Sent down an old lady with a digging stick who went searching for yams, Biami waited patiently for her and after some time there was no return. So Biami sent down the rainbow serpent in search of the old lady whilst the rainbow serpents path created the (dungala) Murray River.
Art Centre notes:
The basket is made of natural raffia and sea chord.
It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method.
Size of bowl: 24 x 8cm
Art Centre notes:
The basket is made of natural raffia and sea chord.
It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method.
Size of Bowl: 10 x 5cm