In Kuninjku the name manbirrbbirr is used for a number of densely flowering shrubs and small trees including Verticordia cunninghamii, yellow flowering Austromyrtus species and also Acacia platycarpa which also has dense white.
Kunwardde means stone, rock or money in Kuninjku.
This design combines imagery of the country around Mumeka with common dry season bush flowers.
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.
Ngalng (Freshwater Crayfish) – Babbarra Texta ‘This is a story from Mankorlod. This is a djang (creation) story. This is the creation story about the freshwater yabby. Starting with the stone, that’s the raw one Read more…
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 Read more…