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Woven Mat
Yolŋu weavers of Arnhem Land create utilitarian, ceremonial, and decorative pieces using naturally sourced materials. This mat is made from young Pandanus spiralis leaves, harvested with a wooden hook, stripped of prickles, and dried to create strong, resilient fibres. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or woven using traditional techniques to produce both functional and decorative mats.
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.
Traditionally, Nganiyal (conical mats) functioned as insect screens when erected and as seating mats when folded, playing an important role in both daily life and ceremonial practices. Today, Yolŋu artists create a variety of shapes, including flat, round, and oblong mats. These non-traditional styles and the use of bright colours became more common after Missionaries began commissioning pieces in this style.
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JB Fisher – Sugar bag (honey) Story
JB Fisher often paints subjects related to the Sugar Bag story, a story he has inherited. Sugarbags, or Gulka as it is locally known, are the native honeys found in the bush surrounding Ramingining.
In this painting, JB paints the spoons made from natural materials that people use to eat scoop up the honey and eat it.
Sugarbag story is related to the Mewal place, a significant area represented by the special shaped rock, situated in JB Fisher’s Father’s Country, just outside of Ramingining Community in north east Arnhem Land.
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JB Fisher – Sugar bag (honey) Story
JB Fisher often paints subjects related to the Sugar Bag story, a story he has inherited. Sugarbags, or Gulka as it is locally known, are the native honeys found in the bush surrounding Ramingining.
In this painting, JB paints the spoons made from natural materials that people use to eat scoop up the honey and eat it.
Sugarbag story is related to the Mewal place, a significant area represented by the special shaped rock, situated in JB Fisher’s Father’s Country, just outside of Ramingining Community in north east Arnhem Land.
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JB Fisher – Djanda (lizard)
JB paints stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally and JB would have learnt these stories from his ancestors. The cross-hatching style (Rrark) is a traditional painting style of this area and can represent elements such as water, air and wind.
His paintings often feature totemic animals of the fresh waters of North East Arnhem Land.
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JB Fisher – Sugar bag (honey) Story
JB Fisher often paints subjects related to the Sugar Bag story, a story he has inherited. Sugarbags, or Gulka as it is locally known, are the native honeys found in the bush surrounding Ramingining.
In this painting, JB paints the spoons made from natural materials that people use to eat scoop up the honey and eat it.
Sugarbag story is related to the Mewal place, a significant area represented by the special shaped rock, situated in JB Fisher’s Father’s Country, just outside of Ramingining Community in north east Arnhem Land.
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JB Fisher – Wangye (yams)
JB Fisher paints stories from his Dhuwa homeland in north east Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and JB would have learnt these stories from his ancestors. The cross-hatching style is a traditional painting style of this area and can represent elements such as water, air and wind.
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JB Fisher – Mewal
This painting is about the story of the rock Mewal, that is the embodiment of the spirit man Mokuy who created the honey men/sugar bag tribe. In the story, Mokuy runs away from from a burning grass fire and to escape he turns into the special curved shape rock that is just outside Ramingining. In this painting people are singing and dancing to Mewal around a special tree. It is a ceremony day. People are also collecting Yams (Pitarro) a bush tucker vegetable that is black on the outside and white on the inside.
This is JB Fisher’s story from his country in the heritage listed Arafura Wetlands in North East Arnhem Land. He has inherited this story from his Father, and his Fathers Father, and this story goes back forever. As long as the Yolngu people have been here.
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yam and rock
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JB Fisher – Sugar bag (honey) Story
JB Fisher often paints subjects related to the Sugar Bag story, a story he has inherited. Sugarbags, or Gulka as it is locally known, are the native honeys found in the bush surrounding Ramingining.
In this painting, JB paints the spoons made from natural materials that people use to eat scoop up the honey and eat it.
Sugarbag story is related to the Mewal place, a significant area represented by the special shaped rock, situated in JB Fisher’s Father’s Country, just outside of Ramingining Community in north east Arnhem Land.