111581938126

Published by on

Bidyadanga

“This painting is about the different types of seafood that are seasonal to eat at Bidyadanga. During the raining clouds season we are allowed to hunt for turtles, fish and stingrays. The women gather the shells, mussels and oysters and we can eat them. We gather food that is in season and leave the rest for our future. Our knowledge of how to hunt and gather comes from our elders, and we learnt from the Karajarri people.

The old Karajarri… sing out to the dolphins to bring in the fish. When we go out fishing, we see the dolphins in the water push fish to the shore. The dolphin symbolizes our ancestors and we believe that when we die our family turn into dolphins, and it is their spirit which brings the fish to us.”

– Colleen Jadai 

Bidyadanga, Colleen’s ngurra (home Country, camp) is a community located on the Kimberley coast in Western Australia, where the Great Sandy Desert meets the sea. The word Bidyadanga is derived from pijarta/ bidyada (emu watering hole). Unlike the Martu, Colleen’s ancestors spent much time near the ocean. Common motifs depicted in this painting relate specifically to this landscape, including fish, stingrays and shells.

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Colleen Jadai

Community: Bidyadanga

Biography:

Coleen was born up North in Broom and grew up in la Grange mission, which later became the community now know as Bidyadanga on Karajarri Country. She paints salt water country and dream time stories, all the old stories that the old people taught her.

"I paint these stories about gathering and hunting in saltwater Country; String rays, turtles, fish. Bidyadanga that's my home, i feel free camping and going out bush, swimming, gathering oysters, mud-worms and hermit crabs. My grandmother was a Karajarri woman she taught me and other old people too. In Bidyadanga the old people would sing out to the dolphins and the dolphins would bring the fish in for everyone." 

Related Posts

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582332925

Two Countries: Kun Kun (Kuny-Kuny) and Nganjirr “Grandfather’s Country, not far from Well 33, called Nganjirr. Not far, [you] can go up by car. Go camping there. When it rains, fills up, then is dry. Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582329974

Wantili (Warntili, Canning Stock Route Well 25) “Wantili is my place, where I was born. It’s a place where everyone was living- it’s all of their ngurra (home Country, camp). It’s the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) of that place. All Read more…

Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

111582329973

Kunawarritji (Canning Stock Route Well 33) “We went to Kunawarritji. We went out to see the waterholes with Kumpaya [Girgirba], my aunty – my dad’s sister. It’s the first time I went in a chopper Read more…

© the artist / art centre