225182377833

Published by CompNet Systems on

Mukirr Dance 3 (Women’s Business)

Mukirr dance is about when I would go with my mum, aunties and other family to the Daintree River to harvest freshwater mussels. Using our feet on the river bed, we would feel where the mussels were. Once we located them we would dive to collect them. We used our dresses as holding vessels. Once our dresses were full, we would swim to the bank and off-load to another family member who would get them ready to eat by putting them on the fire. When the ladies were feeling with their feet, it would look like they were dancing in the water. Mukirr means mussels, that is why this artwork is called ‘Mukirr Dance’. The Mukirr dance to me represents my mother, aunties and older cousins as well as many other Yalanji women of the past because this was an important part of people’s life. Today, some ladies still collect mussels up in the shallow area of the Daintree River.

Arches BFK Rives 300gsm paper is made in France at the Arches paper mill. The paper is mould-made and crafted from 100% cotton fibers. 

Categories: Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation

Name: Karen Gibson

Language: Kuku Yalanji, Kuku Nyungkul

Community: Mossman

Biography:

My name is Karen Gibson, I am from the Yalanji and Nyungkul Tribe. My Aboriginal name is "Dilbael" which means poisonous white flower that is jealous of all the other flowers.

As a small child I always wanted to draw, but I didn't start to formally make art until 1984. Initially I painted artefacts for sale in the Art Gallery at Mossman Gorge, however in recent years I’ve focused on painting, printmaking, especially screen printing, lithograph and etching.

There are different aspects to my work. Mostly my ideas come from how I feel about what I see and hear and basically what affects my mood. Certain music also contributes to what I put on canvas.

I have three sons who are my best friends and I love animals. I feel blessed to have been influenced by my grandfather and my mother, they have contributed to the way I see things and how to translate that onto canvas.

I thank God for blessing me with the ability to work through art and hope my work will bring a sense of good feeling and positive emotion to Australia and the World.

 

Related Posts

Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation

225182377862

Janbal (Quandong) Janbal (Quandong) is good bush tucker. We gather the fruit from August to January when they are sweet and soft. The kernel of the fruit is very pretty and we often use it to make body Read more…

Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation

225182377838

“Ngayu kuku balkan” (my story). Burnt Orange State. Kuku Yalanji (talk of this place) – pronounced Guh-guh Yell-an-gee Ngayu kuku balkan (my story) – pronounced ngay-yuh guh-guh bul-gun Wurarr-wurarr (dragonfly) – pronounced oo-rard-oo-rard   Kuku Read more…

Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Aboriginal Corporation

225182377774

Diwan 2 (Scrub Turkey) Diwan are bush food – an important source of meat. We also eat the eggs. They are a delicacy. The male bird looks after the nest and will not go far, Read more…

© the artist / art centre