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Man-kurndalh (Black Plums)
Man-kurndalh (black plum) are a much loved manme (bush food). The edible black berries are good for harvest in the late dry to wet seasons.
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School Kids Travelling to Yulara
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Ngangumarta Warran (Country)
“Nyangumarta Country home to the Nyangumarta people from the Desert to the sea side. Old people lived and walked on this land, we as Nyangumarta still look after the land today, we still go out on Country hunt and keep our way of life living of the traditional food from the land.
Nyangumarta people travelled and lived in the desert and the seaside. This painting is a story from the Nyangumarta dreaming where once a woman who walked with her child along this country collecting sea food “Mayi”. They were both on the reef and suddenly the tide came and drowned them, so now today there’s two rocks which remain out by the sea.
Because we carry the culture and most people tell stories with their painting, and that’s how it was from the beginning. Passing knowledge down. They might not see it now, but in the future, younger people might want to follow in their Elders’ footsteps. And carry on the skills and lifestyles. It can be anything—painting, hunting, becoming leaders.”
– Venetta Yanawana
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Ngangumarta Warran (Country)
“Nyangumarta Country home to the Nyangumarta people from the Desert to the sea side. Old people lived and walked on this land, we as Nyangumarta still look after the land today, we still go out on Country hunt and keep our way of life living of the traditional food from the land.
Nyangumarta people travelled and lived in the desert and the seaside. This painting is a story from the Nyangumarta dreaming where once a woman who walked with her child along this country collecting sea food “Mayi”. They were both on the reef and suddenly the tide came and drowned them, so now today there’s two rocks which remain out by the sea.
Because we carry the culture and most people tell stories with their painting, and that’s how it was from the beginning. Passing knowledge down. They might not see it now, but in the future, younger people might want to follow in their Elders’ footsteps. And carry on the skills and lifestyles. It can be anything—painting, hunting, becoming leaders.”
– Venetta Yanawana
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Waterholes, hills and mud flats
This painting is about the red desert sand in The Great Sandy Desert the hills and the mudflats. I love the colours of the desert.
This painting shows the Artists Grandfathers country where they used to walk around in circles searching for bush tucker and water from the waterholes. When our ancestors came out from the Canning Stock route, they used to see big mob of sand dunes and flowers.
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Untitled
This artwork showcases the artist’s skillful use of colour, texture, and technique, reflecting a deep connection to their environment and culture. Each detail embodies the unique identity of Bidyadanga Artists, where the original five language groups—Nyangumarta, Mangala, Yulparija, Juwaliny, and Karrajarri—come together to create art that speaks to the heart of Country. Over time, the community and Art Centre has grown to include people from other Kimberley tribes, fostering a space where diverse cultural knowledge and practices come together. Situated where the desert meets the sea, artists draw inspiration from their ancestral Country and personal journeys. The artist captures the vibrant beauty of both desert and coastal landscapes, blending earthy reds, deep blues, and intricate patterns distinctive to their cultural heritage. The themes and composition invite viewers into the artist’s world, offering a glimpse of the rich, intertwined histories and the enduring connection to land and spirit that define the Bidyadanga community.
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Wika (Fire)
This painting represents the rocky outcrop and all the different areas of claypans, and the dark area represents all the jurnga (sands) in the cool time, warri (translation needed). All the light yellowish colour represents the paru (spinifex).
I like to go out working with the rangers and all the elders, I go out Country with them and they show me all the places, all mapped out with GPS. We mark out all the other places for next time. Sometimes I go out in the rangers vehicle and walk around the country and look around for goanna holes. We try to keep an eye on the animals, [monitoring them,] look out for all the bilby and skinks and everything with the Nyangumarta rangers. I go in my spare time because I’m busy you know, I’m busy with my artwork and council meetings.
In the cool dry time, when it’s a little bit warm, and cool in the morning, that’s when we do the fire patch burning. When we doing it also depends on the wind, the warngal, which way its blowing. We do that because it’s a big part of controlled fired. Wild fires, we don’t want them, they destroy the animals and their living area, destroy the Country. We do it too for the regrowth. When I went back to Country a couple of weeks ago, all the burned up area had a little bit of regrowth after a little bit of rain.