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Wandjina’s & Gyorn Gyorn

These land Wandjina are waking up and looking out. That’s how they get together: they have a meeting, get together, set the rules and law down. Wurdoo, it is bringing us out to carry it on. It’s their law we are doing that today with our children. In the story, they’re coming out, I always see them when I come out to this country, I feel it. They are very strong, they speak to me in their way. They are very spiritual Wandjinas. What I’m painting is what I’m feeling inside, it’s strong. They’re from Freshwater Cove, coming up from Cone Bay: my granny’s and grandfather’s country. I felt them when I went to Freshwater Cove. They are real to me. They learn all the law. Today we are teaching the children, they grow up and keep the same law. When you’re in town, out of respect you can’t go into another person’s home. In that same way we’ve got to respect the law. The Wandjina created the earth and all life upon it, then he created the first human beings: the Gyorn Gyorn people. He then told them to work the land and do well. The Gyorn Gyorns were confused and didn’t understand what the Wandjina wanted from them. The Wandjina was annoyed couldn’t control the Gyorn Gyorn so he travelled back to Wallungunda (Milky Way) to where Idjair was and asked if he could help with the creation. More Wandjinas came back and helped him in all areas of creation. The Gyorn Gyorns became hunters and gathers. They also show the traditional dancing amongst our tribes.

Name: Philinka Dolby


Language: Ngarinyin


Community: Mowanjum


Biography:

Philinka first began painting in 2005. She has been nurtured by Gabriella and Gordon Barunga (two of Mowanjum's most accomplished senior artists) and has always been surrounded by artists at work. Philinka has 8 children. Her early paintings show a strong sense of design with bold shapes and flat areas of colour. Philinka’s bubbly personality and youthful exuberance add a delightful spark to the Mowamjum art studio.

Since 2024 Philinka is not only an artist for Mowanjum but also part of the arts worker team.
She participated in several workshops - ceramics, Fashion and Design workshop and print making.

 


© the artist / art centre