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Djomi

Joy depicts the story of her ancestral dreaming the Djomi in her textile work, with permission from her djunguys (cultural caretaker) she’s able to tell her story through her design. The Djomi dreaming is described to be a long lady spirit with fish like tales that comes from a water stream that flows out to the sea cliff of Maningrida. It is a known to be a women fertile water stream. ‘Hello my name is Joy Garblin and I work women’s centre. I’m printing Djomi, my design dreaming*. My dreaming* is sacred site and people don’t touch that swamp. They keep away from that swamp. Only the djungkay and my labour they go there and look and shout and talk to my dreaming. My dreaming is tough and strong and nobody touch. Even I am landowner and I don’t go and touch or else I get pregnant from my dreaming. That’s why we keep our dreaming sacred.’ Joy Garblin 2020

Name: Joy Garlbin


Community: Maningrida


Biography:

Joy is an integral member of the Bábbarra Women’s Centre and traditional owner of Maningrida.

She has been around since the early years of Bábbarra Women’s Centre. Joy is a textile artist and also a highly regarded bark painter, creator of mimi spirits, as well as weaver of pandanus fibre.

Joy depicts the story of her ancestral dreaming the Djomi in her textile work, with permission from her djunguys. Joy is from the Kunibidji language group of Arnhem Land. Ndjébbana is one of the least commonly spoken languages in Arnhem Land, and is the language of the traditional owners of Maningrida.


© the artist / art centre