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Kun-Madj (Dillybags) – SML TABLE CLOTH

Kun-madj is the Kuninjku term for large woven collecting baskets, known as dillybags. They are often made from the burney vine (Malaisia scandens), a strong, pliable plant that grows along the ground and into the canopy of monsoon vine thickets. The baskets are used to collect a variety of heavy foods, such as fish caught in conical fish traps or a good harvest of yams. As well as being of practical use, dillybags are of cultural significance to Arnhem Land people. Dillybags are totemic objects and they are associated with particular sites in the landscape.

“My father used to talk at me, tell me about for dillybag, when the old people used to go and dig for bush potato and put some in that dillybag. He lives under the water, when tide goes out he floats and when the tide comes in, his got some strings that holding that dillybag under the water. It’s for our sacred site, its about billabong and it’s shaped like a dillybag.” – Elizabeth Kala Kala

Categories: Babbarra Women’s Centre

Name: Elizabeth Kala Kala

Language: English, Kriol, Gun-nartpa, Rembarrnga, Mayali

Community: Maningrida

Biography:

Elizabeth is an artist from homeland Bolkjam she started working at Bábbarra in 2017.

Elizabeth was born in Buranga but grew up in Maningrida along with her two children.She has a good eye for colour layering and Lino printing. Elizabeth has a strong unique craving style which she uses to depict dilly bags, yams and digging sticks in her lino prints. She is also starting to transfer her unique design style used on lino to screen printing screens.

Elizabeth is inspired by her father who is an artist along with her two sisters are also artists. Her sisters are the ones who taught Elizabeth her dilly bag designs. When they go out to their homeland the sisters enjoy woodcarving and painting together.

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