May 2025

377815582367306

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.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377815582367294

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.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377815582367284

Nyangumarta Warrarn (Country) After the Rain

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.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377815582367279

Nyangumarta Warrarn (Country)

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.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377815582367278

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.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377810582367612

Wayuk (Waterlily)

Wayuk (Waterlily) Nymphaea violacea. 

The stem of wayuk is a popular bushfood and the beautiful flower is enjoyed across Arnhem Land. 

This fabric was created using the linocut printing technique. The lino tile has been carved by the artist in Maningrida, and has been printed by hand using a variety of colours and layers. The linocut technique ensures each textile piece is a one-off, limited edition piece. Bábbarra Women’s Centre supports the economic independence of Indigenous women in the Arnhem Land community of Maningrida, Northern Territory, Australia. Designs created by the women at Bábbarra reflect strong cultural knowledge, which is passed down to younger generations through their textile design practice.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377810582367611

Djomi (Fresh Water Spirit)

This design depicts the story of the artist’s ancestral dreaming, the Djomi fresh water spirit mermaid.

The Djomi figure is a mermaid like spirit with fish tail that lives in the fresh water stream that flows out to the sea cliff near Maningrida. Djomi is a known to be a very powerful fertility symbol.

‘If you go there you can get pregnant easily. Djomi has babies, and they can give others babies too. The Djomi spirit is so powerful, that women can end up with multiple babies at once, twins or sometimes even more. The Djomi spirits lay eggs near the sacred freshwater stream in Maningrida. Inside the eggs are human babies as well as young Djomi.

Men do not go near that swamp, because Djomi is so powerful that men might get pregnant there too. So men, they are too scared of that Djomi. When we visit the Djomi freshwater spring, we can hear young Djomi crying. They sound like normal babies crying, those Djomi spirits. They are looking for a mother.

This Djomi is my dreaming, I got permission from my djunguys to paint this Djomi design. For me I always ask my djunguy permission to paint, because that is our cultural way.

This design also depicts the fresh water lily leaves, and seaweed from the base of the sea floor.

By CompNet Systems, ago

377810582367610

Namorrorddo (Dark Angel)

Mythical creatures of a malevolent nature, namorrorddo are shooting star spirits. They have long claws and trails of white light coming from their heads. They also carry a long club called miyarrurl which they use to beat victims.Yiman kabenerohrok nakidjkidj ya nakka wanjh kabenerohrok namorrorddo. Namorrorddo kabirlikan, bidngalnjkuyeng yoh.

Namorrorddo is similar to the spirit called ‘Nakidjkidj’, the same as Nakidjkidj. Namorrorddo however carries light (ie. the shooting star) and has really long claws, yes.

Source: https://www.njamed.com/

Marawarr depicts Namorrorddo in many forms. The angel is usually situated within the dry bushland and rocky outcrops of the stone country around Mankorlod. 

By CompNet Systems, ago

377810582367607

Manbirrbbirr (small bush flowers)

In Kuninjku the name manbirrbbirr is used for a number of densely flowering shrubs and small trees including Verticordia cunninghamii, yellow flowering Austromyrtus species and also Acacia platycarpa which also has dense white. 

 

By CompNet Systems, ago