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Cyclone Wandjina

This painting represents the cyclone Wandjina for cyclone season. The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the people of Mowanjum and up the Gibb River Road. The Wandjinas brought the law, culture and language to the people. The Wandjina is our identity. We come from the North West Kimberley Region of Western Australia. This is where our Wandjina belong and come from. The Wandjina gave the Law, Culture and Language to the people to abide by. The Customs are carried on today. Where you see a lot of Wandjinas they represent the laws of tree, rivers, rocks, bush fruit and animals all creation. The Wandjinas give the law on how we have to treat and use these creation.

Categories: MOWANJUM ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

Name: Kallum Mungulu

Community: Mowanjum

Biography:

Kallum was born in Perth in 1996. Kallum's father is a Nyikina man and his mother is from Worrorra country. Kallum's great grandmother, Gudu Mungulu, is a Ngarinyin woman, and his great grandfather is a Worrorra man.  Kallum identifies with all of the Mowanjum tribes and commonly paints all three of the Wandjinas. 

At the age of 16, Kallum moved to Freshwater Cove where he became interested in painting. He began life there working as a tour guide through the old sites. Here, Donny Woolagoodja taught him everything about the Wandjina, his people, his culture and art. The cultural and artistic knowledge that Kallum gained over time helped him develop his own unique style that encompassed painting the three Wandjinas along with Dumbi the owl. His artwork was displayed at the Syndey Opera House Homeground Markets Exhibition in 2017 and is currently displayed at Mowanjum Arts. 

Not only is Kallum a talented artist, he is also a singer songwriter and the front man of the local band, The Cruisers. Previously, Kallum worked at Derby radio station playing his music on air and recording his work. However, now Kallum performs more freelance gigs and is developing as a solo artist, performing at Mowanjum Festival multiple times.

Kallum also works at the North Western coast as a ranger. He finds that this allows him to keep his connection to his country strong. While on country, Kallum finds he has the strongest connection to his painting and his song writing. He paints majority of his spirit paintings while travelling up the coast and writes lyrics and music that explore his culture, history and country. 

 

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