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Wullamurrunge & Wandjina (longneck turtle & cloud and rain spirits)

The Wullamurrungge was created by the Wandjina. It’s special because the Wandjina left a gift inside: a skeleton that looks like the Wandjina and the Gyorn Gyorn (Bradshaw people). The law he gave to the people was that before a young boy could eat the turtle, it has to crawl on the back of the person who’s going to eat it. This then satisfies the Wandjina and you’re able to eat it. This law is passed down from generation to generation. Where you see a lot of Wandjinas they represent the laws of trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit, animals and all of creation. The Wandjinas give the law on how we have to treat and use these creations. 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.

Categories: MOWANJUM ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

Name: Phillip Gar Gar Gar Duckhole

Language: Ngarinyin

Community: Mowanjum

Biography:

Phillip was born at Glenroy Station and was the eldest of 2 brothers and 1 sister. His father's country was Bremrrda and his mother's country was at Grace's Knob.

When his father passed away, he left Glenroy with his mother and went to Silent Grove, and then Mt Hart. After a few years they walked to Napier Downs, and then when Phillip was school-aged they walked all the way to Kimberley Downs for him to complete primary school. When it was time for him to attend high school he boarded at a high school in Derby and attended the United Aboriginal Mission. He left school in the late 1960s and worked at Kimberley Downs and Napier Downs stations where he learnt riding skills and carried out stock work. 

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