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Yarrunga – Chinamen’s Garden

As growing up me and my family used to go looking for gold and we put it in Milk Tins and bury the tins under ground, til we need it for rations or buy a Toyota for whole family to go bush. The Warmun mob used to come visit us [at Yarrunga Chinamen’s Garden] for a few days, sometimes weeks. When that flood come we run up. Run to Halls Creek. We been camp then, camping there and go back, back Chinamen Garden. We been go there and camp, and see that cement where them houses used to be. That cement on the side, and that hole in the middle where houses used to be. They’re building now, building for us. I did them [painting] in Halls Creek. That’s my memory, Chinamen Garden after the flood, when I been in Halls Creek.

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EAST KIMBERLEY SPIRIT

In this works Tara explains:

‘The hand represents Aboriginal and white people working together. White people taught Aboriginal people about Religion.

The sun is the Spirit of God

The heart represents the heart of God, because he loved all of us so much that he gave his only son to die on the cross for our sins.

The cross represents the cross that Jesus died on for our sins.

Purnlulu is in the East Kimberley Region, the Bungle Bungles.’

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HORSEMAN VALLEY – EVELYN MALGIL

This is the country of Horseman Valley that is located in Texas Station “This is my dad’s country” The hills that the artist has included within the background is a very significant place for Evelyn, for as long as she can remember these hills are from the dreaming. 

The blue tongue lizard known as the Loomoogoo (blue tongue lizard) in Gija, Evevlyn says that long ago the loomoogoo walked through this country, he belonged to this country. This was where he stopped – in Horseman Valley then turned into hills. Today this hill of the blue tongue lizard is still there today in Texas country.

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Old Darrajayin Station

“We call him Darrajayin this one. Springvale. All this country, this is Darrajayin. This (black forms) is making, putting all them trees right around the house. This lot, when I been start working. Working for that Mrs. Goldie, when Mrs. Goldie was here…in that place, that Darrajayin. All Darrajayin, this one. That’s the road going to bedford Downs (brown corner). This one (black circular form), that’s me, sitting down. That’s the Ngarranggarni one, Goollabal… Snake, Rainbow One.”

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BIRNOO COUNTRY – GORDON BARNEY

Gordon has depicted his country known as Alice Downs Station – this was where he was born and had mustered cattle throughout his younger years as a young man. This is also Gordon’s mother’s country.

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Blowfly Ngarranggarni – Kathy Ramsay

Back in the early days my mum and dad went up to this hill to look for Porcupine we call it (Bargabul) black name they found one on top of this hill it was in a small hole they tried so hard to dig it out but it kept on going in the hole and all these annoying blow flies came swarming all over their faces they was annoyed by them so they both left the bargabul and went back home to the station.

This story was to me by my mum Mona Ramsay.

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Birnoo Country

This painting shows Gordon’s country – Birnoo Country (Alice Downs Station). Birnoo is Gordon’s mother’s country. Gordon mustered cattle all throughout this country for many years – the way his father taught him to.

He became known as a skilled horsebreaker and buckjumper (rodeo rider). When Gordon worked as a stockman, he would often carry with him a saddle bag for his ochre collection. At the end of his mustering stint, he would have a bagful of ochres that he sourced from riding through his country.

He often paints the hills of Birnoo, which connects his to his mother’s country.

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Warramarn Ngarranggarni

‘The white spot in the painting is the Warrananj, the Eagle, the owner of Gija land Warrmarn. The Eagle Dreaming is located in the centre of Guwalunj, the hill overlooking old Warrmarn (Turkey Creek). Gawalalaj is that long hill that forms part of Guwalunj but it is bunched up altogether and runs down towards the south, like a long boundary fence line. Gawalalaj is a reference point for all the old time Gija- people that first set foot and lived on this land.
Guwala – them small knoll stand alone by itself
Jurrung – Kangaroo Dreaming situated down the creek. Black outcrop below the bridge eastside.
Jirrinj – Same kangaroo Dreaming on the left
Kawarrata – Long black hill on canvas, is actually the spear Dreaming
Kalumpunj – Sharp pointy end of spear Dreaming painted in white ochre on canvas, separated from the long spear Dreaming.’
 
DREAMTIME STORIES
 
LEGEND
This is the story of the kangaroo. It is said that the kangaroo (jirrinj) was travelling from the north towards the desert in the south came across Warrmarn and stop to have a rest, but the Eagle (Warrananj) had thought the kangaroo was going to take over the land, so the Eagle took up his spear and threw it at the kangaroo, the Eagle missed him by an inch. The kangaroo hopped on towards the desert , where the spear had landed, the sharp pointed end snapped and that is the sharp pointed hill in this painting.
 
BELIEF
Hector said: ‘If Warrananj, the eagle, would have listened to the Jirrinj, the kangaroo, and stayed at home, old Warrmarn would have had two languages, Gija and desert language, and two cultures would be practiced together nowadays. But the eagle was satisfied with only one, and thus there’s only Gija language and culture in Warmun.
 
MYTHS
Warramarn Warrananj Ngarranganti (Warmun Eagle Dreaming)
During the dreamtime, Jirrinj, the kangaroo, fled south into the desert. There it remained until it finally turned into a spirit. That was the time when humans came into the world. For a time thereafter Jirrinj saw something in the north, around Warmun. But Warrananj, the eagle, didn’t notice and so Jirrinj wanted to explain what it saw to Warrananj. But Warrananj didn’t have time for any explanations and even got angry and threw its spear at Jirrinj. So Jirrinj decided to send a man from the desert, to live among Gija people in Warmun instead. An old Gija lady, who was killed in a car accident, came to the desert man as a vision. In this vision she told him Jirrinj’s message, but also she showed him all of the Gija country and taught him Gija language, the names of all places and all the songs. The vision made the desert man sick for a while but then got better. He then gathered all the leading Gija elders and started to explain the Dreaming (Ngarranggarni) he had had. He spoke in Gija language and so the Gija elders believed him, because no one ever taught the desert man this language. And so finally the message from Jirrinj was heard in Gija country. That thing that Jirrinj noticed and wanted to explain to the eagle was the Gurirr Gurirr corroborree. The desert man that Kangaroo sent to live with the Gija people was the famous painter Rover Thomas. 

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Garnkiny & Black headed snake – Eileen Bray

“This is that Garnkiny (moon) and Nambin skin story” 

This story takes place back in the ngarnankarni  (dream-time).

There once were three female known to be of Nyawanna skin, all who were the rightful skin to Nambin  (black-headed snake) But it is told that the snake didn’t want to marry any of his rightful skin instead he wanted to marry the moon, this was forbidden as the moon was known to be his mother-in-law.

Within Eileen’s artwork you can see there are three hills positioned in the front of the artwork – these are described as Nyawana skin, as the snake is described to be the black-head snake – of Nambin skin. Located on top of the artwork sits the mother-in-law depicted as the moon.  

Back in the old days there were serious consequences when marrying the wrong skin, these actions would end in severe body injuries as well as blood shed, sometimes even banishment from the tribe and community. So it is very important to know what skin you are allowed to marry and not to marry.

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THIRRINGGENJI – The Owlet Nightjar

Dreaming at Tickelara – Thirringgenji

 

Thirringgenji

Owlet nightjar

Gaboowa?

What now?

Berrema-noo Adam thirringgenji.

This is the home of the owlet nightjar.

Nginya

This here.

Nginy jarliji-gany, jarred – ngarri nginini “Gayi daambi – ngoongoo?”

This friend of his when he said, “Where is your camp?”

Ngarranggarnin

in the dream time

“Jilan ngenan’ge.”

” I stay on the ground.”

An nginyi joowijgarneny, Dany joowijgarneny, ngarri

And this bower bower bird, that bower bower bird,

“Gayigana nimbiyannha?”

“What time will you go around?”

“Mendoowoo-moowan, biyaya ngenarn-ni boorraliy-boorroo” wanemayi nginyi thirringgenji.

” Only in the night time I will look around for feed, ” this owlet nightjar said. 

“Nga!”

“Ah!”

“Well Miyawoony, jarlayi!”

” Well never mind friend!”

” Ngoorroona ngoonboon ‘ge-ninggi, ngoorroon.”

” I’ll be over there for you, over there.”

Ngoorlooba Ginini, Dany joowijgarneny.

He told lies , that bower bird

nginy, denggij-garri wanemayinde dam yarlgam.

this one, when he broke off those white stones.

Dany thirringgenji nawane walig-garringiniyin ngenengga, wayiniyana yimele wanemayinde derranden, dany joowijgarneny, jimbirlambi.

When that owlet nightjar went inside the hole here, then in the daytime the bower bird stole the spear heads.

Nhawiyangen daanji-ni boonoo nginiyi, joowijgarneny dany, yimele wanemayinde, jimbirlam.

He painted himself in his own camp, that bower bird, he stole the spearheads.

Mendoo, mendoowoondi dan Biri nginiyi, gawoo gawoorra jimbirlambi.

At night time he came back, where. where are the spear heads.

Biya wanemayinde-noo nginyjiny thirringgenji-ni dam, jimbirlam.

The owlet night jar was looking around for those things he made from the white stone, his spearheads.

“Degba janemannha jarlayı?”

” Did you see it mate?”

Ngoowan, ngoowan, ngoowana

No, no, no.

Dama nginimiyin, ngoorlooba wanemayinde.

Thats what he he did he told lies.

Nhawiyana yimele wanemayinde Jambi jimbirlam, thirringgenji-ni.

He stole tose spear heads, belonging to the owlet night jar

Birriyama-noo daamga.

This here is his place.

Dany joowijgarneny yimele wanemayinde jimbirlam-noo, yarlgal dal.

That bower bird stole his spear heads, that white stone (quartz).

Damoowama-noo jarragbe.

That is all the story about him.

Danya, yimele nyimeliyi,joowijgarneny dany, jarliji-gany.

That one, he stole it, that bower bird, his friends.

Nginini-ni ” Nga, Gayiwa daambi Ninha?”

He said to him ” Ah, where do you stay?”

“Ngagenybe daam yilag, nyengendi wentha?”

My camp is down there what about you.

Miya ngrnan’ge ngoorroo-ngoorroon.

I’ll just stay over there.

Ngoorlooba Ginini joowijgarneny.

That bower bird told lies.

“Gayiggana girls nirda?”

“What time do you walk around?”

“Ngoowan, mendoowoon nginbirn.”

“No, Ill do it in the night.”

Nga!

Ah!

Bagoo-ngarri ngininiyin dan, derranden, danyi thirringgen,

When he was sleeping there, in the daytime, that owlet nightjar,

Waniniyana yimele wanemayinde dandi, boor-ngarriya nginiyin.

that is when he (joowijgarneny) stole the things he (thirringgen) had sharpened.

Mendoowoonybe-ngarri win, degree wanemanyji-boorroo dam jimberlam

When night time came, he was looking around for those spear heads.

Garloomboom, gawoorra?

Spear, where?

Joowijgarneny dany yimele wanemayinde.

That one is a thief, he stole.

That story bout that, two bird and that whadegolem, that bower bird oldeyi steal em spear head Bela Im.

That bird he… Oh he stopping la flat Loa day.

That his camp.

 Birriyama.

Here is it now,

Ma!

Come on!

Gaboowa?

What now?

Dama berlengbeg benama, dana boorr-boorr wanemayinde jimbirlam.

He made those things smooth, there ( where) he was sharpening spearheads.

Ma!

OK, Come on.

Berrema boorr0boorr benama.

Here he sharpened them.

Boorr-boorr-ngarri wandma ngarranggarnin.

When he was sharpening them in the Dream Time.

Berrema, boorr-boorrngen-noowa.

This is his sharpening place.

Boorr-boorrngen, banhengbeg-ngarri benayanyjinhawiyangem.

His sharpening place where he made his spearheads smooth.

Birriyama-noo daa-wirrinbe.

This is where he used to camp all the time.

Thirringgenji-berra

From the owlet nightjar

Birriyama-noo.

This is his place.

Joowijgarneny danyi yimele wanemayinde-noo jimbirlambi.

That bower bird stole his spearheads.

Yimeleny dany-ayiny!

He was a real thief like that.

“Gawoo gawoorra-goorroony jarlayi?” wanemayi-ningi.

“But where are your friend?” he said to him.

“Ngoowan, ngoowan, yi, yi.

“No, no, yi, yi.

“A ngoorrinya-ngoo, yimele ngoorrama-ngoo.”

“Ah that is over there for you, they stole it on you.”

Ngoorlooba nginini, joowijgarneny.

The bower bird told lies.

Berrema daa-wirrirn-noongoo.

This is his living area.

Wel nhawoon dama, dam-noongoo

Well thats the law bela im.

FK Gija?

Wel wayiniya berrema-noo ngarranggarnim dam, ganarram bemberrayangbe.

Well like that here is his dreamtime thing, they put leaves.

Layigabngagenyen daam dam.

Like in that place of mine (My country).

Thadan when you, thats why you cant get sick when you, or even la my country you chuck a stone longa water.