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Published by CompNet Systems on

Wandjina, Gyorn Gyorn & Unguds (cloud and rain spirits, Bradshaw & totems)

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the people of Mowanjum. The Wandjinas brought the law, culture and language. The people of Mowanjum believe that the first Wandjina was called Idjair who lives in the Milky Way and is the father of all Wandjinas. The Wandjina Wallungunda was Idair’s first son; he created the Earth and all life upon it. After he created the first human beings, the Gyorn Gyorn people, Wallungunda traveled back to Idjair to bring back more Wandjinas to give the Gyorn Gyorn people laws to live by. Today the Gyorn Gyorns are known to give our corroboree and became hunters, collectors and gatherers.The Wandjina is highly respected by the people because it gave the law, culture and language. The Unguds represent the dreaming of the people which the Wandjina has given. Before birth, the Ungud is given to the father or the grandfather of a child. It way come through dreams, or it may come as a living animal. The animal becomes a gift from the Wandjina to the unborn child which the child belongs to. When the child dies it will go back to being that animal. Today every individual has their own animal.

Categories: MOWANJUM ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

Name: Mildred Minggi Mungulu

Language: Worrora, Wunambal

Community: Mowanjum

Biography:

Mildred was born at Derby in the old Native Hospital (Numbala Nunga) and spent her 22 years at Mowanjum (“old site”) on the Derby Highway. This was where Mildred watched her father Alan Mungulu (dec) make didgeridoos and boomerangs at home. “When I was there, I would see him do them.” It was being near the traditional crafting of these objects that created a connection to the traditional culture which assisted Mildred’s own craft as a painter. In 1979 the community was moved to a new site on the Gibb River Road and this is where Mildred now resides.

Mildred paints, “what represents us, from our mothers and fathers. We keep it going from generation to generation.” Her artwork demonstrates an array of traditional symbolic representations, including Wandjinas from the three tribes of the Mowanjum community: the Ngarinyin, Worrorra and Wunambal tribes. Coastal Wandjina are signified by the series of circular lines crossed with radial lines fanning from the Wandjina’s head. It has been said this represents a cyclone and lightning.

Traditionally a painter, etching is a new medium now being explored by Mildred.

 

 

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