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Djomi and Hammerhead Shark

Joy depicts the story of the Djomi and Hammerhead shark in her Lino print design. 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 magnificent design. ‘This Djomi is my dreaming, I got permission by djunguys to design Djomi, to tell my story of my dreaming, for me always ask my djunguys first to put 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. ‘if you go there you can get pregnant, Djomi has babies, you can have babies’ Here are two Dreaming ladies– Djómi and Bábbarra. These two are sisters: one freshwater ‘mermaid’ and one saltwater one. ‘Babbarra billabong is inland, Djomi is near the saltwater’ – Joy Garlbin 100% cotton. Linocut print with two colours on Green cotton.

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