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Kunwardde dja Kunronj (Rocks and Billabong)

Abigail has depicted the waterholes or Kunwardde dja Kunronj (Sacred Rocks and Billabong) that lie on the plains near Mankorlod, the country for which she is a traditional owner.

The waterholes remain wet throughout the year, even during dry season. This site is connected to the artist’s djang (dreaming), the ngalng (freshwater yabbie) and stone country. Mankorlod homeland is a three-hour drive from Maningrida in the kunwardde (stone country).

Categories: Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Abigail Gurawiliwili Namundja

Language: Ndjébbana, Kune, Kuninjku

Community: Maningrida

Biography:

Abigail has been an artist with Bábbarra Designs since 2012 and joined the Arts Worker team in 2023. She comes from a strong lineage of talented artists, including her mother, the late Jennifer Wurrkidj, and her grandmother, the late Helen Lanyinwanga. Three generations of women from Abigail’s family have worked together at the Bábbarra Women’s Centre, sharing knowledge and creating new designs. Abigail often prints linocuts from her family’s collection, carrying forward the memory and legacy of the women who came before her.

Abigail's totems are Gungura (spiral wind), Kunwardde (stone country rocks), Yawkyawk (young woman spirit), and Kandji (Jabiru). She also honors her mother's dreaming, Ngalyod (rainbow serpent), in her work. Abigail loves to celebrate the wildflowers of Arnhem Land in her designs.

Abigail’s Lino print fabrics are distinguished by her expert use of color, often incorporating ombré or rainbow effects that enhance the depth and vibrancy of her textile designs.

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© the artist / art centre