Murnun (Dugong)
Dugong can be found in the waters around Maningrida They are a protected species but do form part of a traditional manme (bushfood) diet for some saltwater communities.
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An-gujechiya (fishtrap)
An-gujechiya is the word for fish trap in the Burarra language, which is one of the languages that continue to be spoken in the Djelk Indigenous Protected Region. Wullunmingu’s childhood home in Gupanga, Arnhem Land, is a saltwater estuary that is a great place for collecting crabs and edible shellfish such as the delicacy mud mussel.
In the early wet season, fish swim upstream to breed in creeks and billabongs, then downstream to spend the dry season in larger rivers. An-gujechiya (fish trap) would be set to face the oncoming fish, with woven fencing either side. Within the mouth of the trap is a woven funnel that guides the fish inside and prevents their escape. The clever design ensures that only adult fish are caught as smaller fish can escape through the weaving or even through the funnel. The fish that are caught can survive in the trap for up to two months. Once the trap is removed, the end is untied to remove the fish.
Wullunmingu’s eye for detail runs in her family. Her mother, Doris Gingingara, was an illustrator for the iconic Desert Designs label in the 1980s. In addition to designing outfits for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Wullunmingu’s work has been featured in high-profile fashion and homeware licensing collaborations, including with Kip&Co x Bábbarra in 2020 and a stunning collaboration with ethical milliner, Helen Kaminski 2024.
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Kunngol (cloud)
This design depicts certain Kunngol (cloud) that signal to people of central Arnhem Land that the end of the wet season is approaching. After months of daily monsoonal rain in Arnhem Land, these clouds are light and fluffy, not like the dark, heavy clouds of the monsoonal sky. At the time of the kunngol clouds, people know the country will soon dry up and the cold season (dry season) will arrive. When the kunngol clouds appear, all of the billabongs are already filled, the rivers are high and the country is brimming with life and fresh new growth after months of fresh water pouring from the sky.
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Clapsticks
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Clapsticks
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Woven Sculpture (Fan)
Yolŋu weavers of Arnhem Land craft both utilitarian and ceremonial objects using naturally sourced materials, with more recent works also including decorative pieces. The choice of fibre depends on the intended function of each piece.
One of the primary materials is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, harvested with a long hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, and the smaller fibres are dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres can be twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create baskets (Bathi), dillybags (Mindirr), and mats—both in the modern flat style and the traditional conical style (Nganiyal).
For more flexible, open-weave designs, weavers use the bark of the kurrajong tree. This material is particularly suited for dillybags (Mindirr) and ceremonial objects, such as Matjka (body adornments) and Malka (headwear).
Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.
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Dhawurr or Batjbarra (Fish Trap)
Dhawurr, or Batjbarra, is a traditional fishing method used by Indigenous people in the Arafura Swamp and surrounding wetlands of Arnhem Land. Yolŋu now prefer the modern fishing methods of reels and bait, however, weavers continue to make Batjbarra for cultural conservation and to be sold as decorative pieces.
When used for practical purposes, the Batjbarra was placed into the river with the opening facing oncoming fish. The woven tunnel trapped the fish with the weave tight enough to prevent escape but loose enough to allow water to freely flow through. The traps tapered so that when they were submerged, the water pressure wedged them into place.
The primary material used in this piece is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, that were harvested using a long wooden hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, with the smaller fibres being dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create the fish trap.
Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.
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Dhawurr or Batjbarra (Fish Trap)
Dhawurr, or Batjbarra, is a traditional fishing method used by Indigenous people in the Arafura Swamp and surrounding wetlands of Arnhem Land. Yolŋu now prefer the modern fishing methods of reels and bait, however, weavers continue to make Batjbarra for cultural conservation and to be sold as decorative pieces.
When used for practical purposes, the Batjbarra was placed into the river with the opening facing oncoming fish. The woven tunnel trapped the fish with the weave tight enough to prevent escape but loose enough to allow water to freely flow through. The traps tapered so that when they were submerged, the water pressure wedged them into place.
The primary material used in this piece is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, that were harvested using a long wooden hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, with the smaller fibres being dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create the fish trap.
Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.
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Nawarlah – Brown River Stingray
We hunt the Nawarlah (Brown River Stingray) during the wet season. There is a plant with a yellow flower that tells us that it is the right time. We know it will be fat.
It is well known that Aboriginal art often depicts images of sacred totems or dreamings of Aboriginal culture. However, the world of the non-sacred also provides a rich source of subject matter for Aboriginal art. Much of the rock art of western Arnhem Land for example features secular topics such as common food animals and plants, depicted because of their economic importance but also merely because of their existence in the environment.