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Djang’kawu sisters Creation Story featuring mud crabs longbums and lizards

This painting is part of the Djang’kawu sisters Creation Story. The details of this story can vary according to clan and/or country, but the central story is the same, which is one of fertility and procreation.

The Djang’kawu sisters gave birth to all the Dhuwa Moeity clans giving them language, land, law/lore, ceremony, songs and dances. As they travelled westward from Yirrkala, they travelled through all the dhuwa lands naming all the plants and animals and showed people how to use them. At the Glyde River, they hung their sacred dilly bags on a tree whilst they hunted. Men came and took the dilly bags and learnt all the songs and dnaces. Now the men condiuct all the ceremonies. The sisters decided to accept this as they (women) always retain their power as the bearer of children.

This painting is part of this story, it is a saltwater story featuring mud crabs, longbums and a water lizard and a drinking hole.