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NUGUWARRDING (Snake Dreaming) – Tommy Carroll

This painting tells a story about NUGUWARRDING, that rainbow serpent, who travelled and lived around this area now called Doon Doon. Tommy says, “He went up to my grandfather’s country at the back of Speewah where there are gorges and rock holes.”

The solid circles represent the water holes in this area and the fluid lines are the hills around Doon Doon.

Tommy continues, “the story of this place was told to me when I was a young fella by my grandfather and his father. This snake was a father for this country, he traveled all over, sometimes he would stay for a few days then he would leave and pass through the next water place and stayed a bit longer.”

Categories: WARMUN ART

Name: TOMMY CARROLL


Language: Gija, Kimberley Kriol


Community: Warmun


Biography:

Tommy Carroll was born on Doon Doon Station, 100 kilometres north of Warmun Community. His bush name is Balabany. As a young boy he worked as a stockman at Doon Doon and throughout his youth he also worked on Bow River and Lissadell Stations. He also used to assist the Outstation Manager at Warmun Community. Tommy commenced painting in late 1999, inspired to do so by his wife, Katie Cox, another emerging Warmun artist. He says that painting makes him think about his country and the Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming) stories and about the places he used to visit as a child and when he was working as a stockman. Tommy Carroll's works are often dark and brooding. He uses heavy concentrations of black charcoal and red natural ochres. The majority of Tommy's painting derive from stories near or around Doon Doon Station, and primarily stories associated with the Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming).


© the artist / art centre