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Yawkyawk la Kunronj (freshwater mermaid) 2005

This screen print was created by the young Jennifer Wurrkidj, one of the most prolific artists at Bábbarra Women’s Centre. This design was re exposed onto screen after Kamanj passed away. Her sister Deborah Wurrkidj talks about this design.

 

At that time the children were all going to homelands school. The design shows too many yawkyawk in the billabong at Barridjowkeng a very sacred Yirridjidja site for Kuninjku people.

The design shows  kundayarr (pandanus) and wayuk (waterlily) around the billabong.

Our grandfather on our mothers side used to live at this site and they used to drink the water from this billabong. There is now an Outstation located at this site. 

This scene shows wet season as we can see by the mandjewk – (heavy rainclouds). The yawkyawk love the sound of the rain. 

Yawkyawk are young girls but they are spirits from kunred (country) that have fish tails. 

Categories: Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Jennifer Wurrkidj (dec)

Language: Kuninjku

Community: Maningrida

Biography:

J. Wurrkidj was a highly regarded textile artist who started working at Bábbarra Women’s Centre in 2007. Her print designs featured local bush foods and food-collecting devices such as kunmadj (dilly bag), mandjabu (fish trap) whilst also referencing the activities of ancestor beings and the ceremonial sites of her homeland, Mumeka.

J.Wurrkidj also created artwork for Maningrida Arts and Culture alongside other members of her family who were also accomplished artists: her mother, H. Lanyinwanga (Dec), sister Deborah Wurrkidj and daughter Abigail Namundja. She was the daughter of Australia’s most highly acclaimed bark painter, John Mawurndjul, and renowned, in her own right for her bark paintings, hollow logs and carved sculptures. Her artwork has been exhibited throughout Australia and her textile works are in the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia, CDU, Bendigo Art Gallery, National Museum of Australia and has been touring internationally with Jarracharra (dry season wind) since 2019.

In her later years she focused her arts practice on mentoring her daughter Abigail Namundja who printed her lino designs in her capacity as an arts worker at Bábbarra Women’s Centre.

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© the artist / art centre