377810582298896

Published by CompNet Systems on



Marebu – Raylene Bonosn

A ‘marebu’ is a hand-woven mat made of pandanus, often coloured with natural dyes. Marebu can be used as a floor mat, a fence to trap fish in waterways, a shield to cover babies from mosquitoes, a wrap for rinsing food in water, and a ceremonial skirt for women.

‘Marebu (pandanus floor mat) is used by lots of people for lots of things. When people go hunting, they use marebu to sit on and to put all the manme (food) they catch like freshwater fish and cheeky yam.

When the people are finished hunting, they can use the marebu to wrap up all the manme and carry it home to cook on the fire. You can put that marebu in the freshwater to wash it.

Marebu is also used and a bed to sleep on.

This design comes from my mother’s side and is a Kuninjku story.’

Link to ‘marebu’ definition – Njamed.com

https://njamed.com/entry/marebu/?tab=Dictionary

Name: Raylene Ngalamyorrk Bonson


Language: Ndjébbana, Kuninjku


Community: Maningrida


Biography:

Raylene (Rayleen) Bonson is a talented textile artist, carving meticulous designs onto Lino tiles to print onto a range of fabric surfaces. Raylene is well known for her designs depicting ancestral stories and ceremonial objects, in particular lorrkkon (hollow log for burial ceremony), kunmadj (dillybag) and mandjabu (conical fishtrap).

In 2019 Raylene's Screen Print design Wubbunj (Paperbark Canoe) was licensed by Kip & Co and featured on a successful, sell out homewares range. In 2021, the same design was used to make a piece of contemporary furniture called Love Bench With Back, 2021 which was a collaboration by Daniel, Emma and Raylene and is currently on tour with the exhibition 'New Exuberance' curated by Jam Factory in 2022.

Raylene has been working with Bábbarra Designs since 2012 and now has a permanent role as a senior arts worker. She was mentored by her late mother, Nancy Gununwanga, a textile artist at Bábbarra Designs and a founding member of Bábbarra Women’s Centre. Raylene mentors and supports her daughter Rosanna Bonson.


© the artist / art centre