April 2025

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Ilala (child dreaming)

Long ago our ancestors used to travel visiting relatives on the way. They camped near Wuludi (waterholes or billabongs) which had Unguds (dreaming totems) in the Ngaboon (water). Sometimes childless couples were travelling and met with relatives, and that relative may dream or hear a Ilala (baby) cry. That relative may give the couple food or presents which are like giving the couple a Ilala (baby) they’ve longed for. Sometimes it could be in the form of an animal to represent the Ilala’s Ungud. Sometimes the couple would go swimming in the Ungud water (sacred water hole that spirits of children originate from), so it could see that the couple wanted a baby, and maybe would give them one.

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Wandjina (cloud and rain spirits)_Framed

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and along the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Wandjina represents the laws of everything the surrounds us trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit and animals, all creation. The Wandjinas give the law on how we have to treat and use these creations. These customs are carried on today.

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Boab seeds

The boab tree is special us – we can eat the nuts, the young roots are also delicious, and we make string from the bark.

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Wandjinas, Woolamurung, Fishes, Snakes and Digeridoos

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Wali (green sea turtle)

This painting is of the Wali, which we hunt and eat. I love painting this turtle because it makes me think of my mum’s country on the coast where they always hunted and ate. I’ve always painted this turtle’s eggs as well which are also good eating.

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Wandjina & Unguds (cloud and rain spirits & totems)

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and up the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Wandjina gave the Law, Culture and Language to the people to abide by. These customs are carried on today. The Unguds represent the dreaming of the people which the Wandjina has given. The Ungud is given before birth to the parents, grandparents aunts or uncles of a child, through dreams, or it may come as a living animal.This is considered as a gift from the Wandjina to the parent, the animal becomes a gift to the unborn child which the child belongs to. Now when the child dies it goes back to being that animal. Today each and every individual has their own animal that belongs to them.

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Wandjina with Two Owls and Ungud

The wandjina, dumbi and ungud are all from the dreaming. 

If anything happens to the owls, the wandjina sends out the snakes to bring the rains.

Dumbi are very precious to the wandjina.

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Wandjina, Jaiya and Ungud and longneck turtle (cloud and rain spirits, fish & totem)

Where you see a lot of Wandjinas they represent the laws of trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit, animals and all of creation. They give the law on how we have to treat and use them. These customs are carried on today. The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and up the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Wandjina is the one who gave us Jaiya animals that are our food source that our ancestors have hunted for thousands of years. The Ungud snake is the one that made the rivers and holds water. If they are disturbed then they will kill whoever disturbs them.

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Wandjina, Dumbi & Ungud (cloud and rain spirit, barn owl & totem)

The Wandjina is the creator spirit that belongs to the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people. He is the one who created everything, gave us our culture, law and songs and even the dreaming of each child before they are born. The Dumbis belong to the Wandjina and nobody can make fun or kill them, because the Wandjina will send a big rainstorm just like in the flood story. The Ungud snake is the one that made the rivers and holds water. If they are disturbed then they will kill whoever disturbs them.