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Balgurr naku raki wungili (Kurrajong bark string picture)

At the end of May 2024, Bula’bula artists, along with Milingimbi Arts and Culture, Maningrida Arts, and Gapuwiak Arts, were invited to attend the Langarra Bush Gallery—a three-day camp that included an exhibition, workshops, and discussions for the Weavers of Arnhem Land. Langarra is an island located a 20-minute boat ride from Elcho Island in the Arafura Sea.

The Bush Gallery provided weavers with an opportunity to create work that pushed their boundaries, encouraging them to experiment with new techniques or showcase unique skills. The goal was to foster a supportive environment where weavers could create and present work they were excited about, facilitate discussions, connections, growth, and instilling pride in their craft.

As a result of this project, our weavers produced traditional Yolngu items from hand-spun bush string, including bags, hunting and fishing items, and wearable ceremonial pieces. Additionally, they explored new approaches with string by creating canvas-shaped formats. This format invite viewers to examine the intricate details, colours, and craftsmanship, highlighting the inherent beauty of the raki.

Categories: Bula'bula Arts

Name: Julie Djulibing Malibirr

Language: Ganalbingu

Community: Ramingining

Biography:

Djulibing was born of a Ganalbingu father and Liyagalawumirri mother at Murrwangi - “no town, just a bush camp, and went to Milingimbi as a baby; then they took me to Darwin because of the war (WWII). -Really just outside at Kulpinya where I went to school”.

After the war she went back to Milingimbi with her parents by boat, the Arriwatha. Here she attended school for a short time - “I can’t remember who taught me, it wasn’t Miss Lowe; then I went to Galiwin'ku and worked in the gardens and cutting lawns  working with a Fijian called Binaya’ and worked at weaving baskets and mats to Sheppy (Harold Shepherdson). Lamatha was a crew (sic) on a boat which brought us food like the barge. The captain was Willi and the boat was the Larrpan. I got married there to Lamatha at Galiwin'ku and had Matjarra and Dayn’kuli  and Rrikili  too. Many’tjurrpuy also and Rorrurruwuy and Marrawuma . These are all girls except for one boy. 

We came back to Milingimbi  - Matjarra was at school; David McLay  was there. I worked in the store, Lamatha in the outstation centre. I still did my weaving. Then we shifted to Langarra and then to here [Ramingining].

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