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Dakarra (cockle)

Dakarra is the Burrara Gun-nartpa word for a type of cockle shell with prominant scaled ribs and an orange colour. This is part of a diet of shellfish which has been enjoyed by people whose country lies on the saltwater estuaries at the opening of  rivers throughout Arnhem Land.

Elizabeth Wullunmingu’s mother country is Djunawunya, near Gupunga on the Blyth river. This is saltwater country. Her design Dakarra represents a songline for this particular type of edible shellfish and the fishing lifestyle that is enjoyed by her people. 

Elizabeth’s grandfather Frank Gurrmanamana was seen in the documentary ‘Waiting For harry’  1978  by Ronin films which is filmed on Elizabeth’s mother country, Djunawunya. In this documentary, the late Frank Gurrmanamana is preparing the final mortuary ceremonies for his brother who died six years before. Central to the ceremonies is Harry Diama, the senior blood-relative of the deceased man, but Harry lives in Maningrida and is pre-occupied with a pending court-case there involving his son.

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/video/1068702275809/Waiting-For-Harry

 

Categories: Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Elizabeth Wullunmingu

Language: Burarra

Community: Maningrida

Biography:

Elizabeth Kodjdjan Wullunmingu  is an Anbara Burrara woman who grew up on her mother country at the mouth of the Blyth River, east of Maningrida in Arnhem Land.

Elizabeth started working as a sewer for Babbarra Women’s Centre in 2010 and created her first screen print design the same year.  

Rrugurrgurda (mud crab) tells the story of Elizabeth’s homeland, a peaceful place with plenty of mud crabs and shellfish to eat. Rrugurrgurda and Dakkara are good baladji (bush food) and can be eaten all year round.

Elizabeth artistic talent comes from her mother Doris Gingingara who was an artist for the iconic Desert Designs label in the 1980’s.

Elizabeth designed and sewed outfits for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Her screen print design Rrugurrgurda (Mud Crab) was part of the successful KipandCo x Babbarra homewares collection in 2020.

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