Djomi There are two Dreaming ladies at Bábbarra billabong – Djómi and Bábbarra. These two are sisters: one freshwater ‘mermaid’ and one saltwater one. Big long head, big stomach and very skinny legs that Bábbarra. Their mother is the crocodile who lives in the Bábbarra billabong. Both sisters will give Read more…
Gurrpurdu (Diving Bird) A design by emerging textile designer, Charmaine Pascoe. ‘My Gurrpurdu (diving bird) was white. She flew from Gan Gan to Gapuwiyak and then to Yathalamarra. And then she flew to Gartji. At Gartji two fresh water seaweed shoots, one long and one short were trying to keep Read more…
Kunbowinjku (fresh water) Kunbowinjku (fresh water) – which is made of the noun prefix KUN-, the word for water (in its incorporated form) -BO and -WINJKU means ‘fresh, for drinking (as opposed to salt water) A new design made in 2022 featuring a mandjabu (fish trap), kunmadj (dilly bag) and Read more…
Kun-madj – large dillybag vine Kun-madj, or dilly bag, is a large woven collecting basket. These large bags are often made from the vine ‘Malasia scandens’, a strong pliable plant which grows along the floor and into the canopy of monsoon vine thickets. The bags are used to collect any Read more…
Wak Wak This painting depicts a sacred site at ‘Kurrurldul’, an outstation south of Maningrida. The ‘rarrk’, or abstract crosshatching, on this work represents the design for the crow totem ancestor called ‘Djimarr’. Today this being exists in the form of a rock, which is permanently submerged at the bottom Read more…
Wak Wak This painting depicts a sacred site at ‘Kurrurldul’, an outstation south of Maningrida. The ‘rarrk’, or abstract crosshatching, on this work represents the design for the crow totem ancestor called ‘Djimarr’. Today this being exists in the form of a rock, which is permanently submerged at the bottom Read more…
Birlmu or Namarnkorl (Barramundi) It is well known that Aboriginal art often depicts images of sacred totems or dreamings of Aboriginal culture. However, the world of the non-sacred also provides a rich source of subject matter for Aboriginal art. Much of the rock art of western Arnhem Land for example Read more…
Gunga (Pandanus) Gunga refers to the weaving and production of goods from pandanus leaves and natural fibres. This design depicts fibre art from her homeland Galiwinku, Elcho Island. The fish trap, basket, string bag and pandanus mats are objects as well as ancestral spirits and are significant to the artists Read more…
Birlmu or Namarnkorl (Barramundi) It is well known that Aboriginal art often depicts images of sacred totems or dreamings of Aboriginal culture. However, the world of the non-sacred also provides a rich source of subject matter for Aboriginal art. Much of the rock art of western Arnhem Land for example Read more…
Ngaldadmurrng This is a painting of ngaldadmurrng ‘Saratoga fish’ (Scleropages jardini) sometimes also called the Northern Spotted Barramundi. Saratoga are commonly found in creeks, rivers and billabongs around the artist’s clan estate. The animal depicted is on one level easy to recognise and it’s meaning is easily accessible. On a deeper level the Read more…