Blog

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Three Tribes

The three tribes are the Worrora, Wunumbul and Ngarinyin. The three tribes represent the Wandjina who made them what they are today. They’re from the North Kimberley region of Western Australia. The area that makes up the three tribes starts from Oobagooma which is 150km north of the coast of Derby, east across towards inland to Iminji and all the way up to Kalumburru. The tribes have travelled, moved and lived together and share similar stories, culture and language with different dialects. They still follow the law, culture and language of the land today carrying on strong and sharing it.

From left to right we have Wannalirri (Ngarinyin) Wandjina. He was the Wandjina that brought all the Wandjina’s together to send the big flood to drown the people, because of what the children had done to the Dumbi the owl.

The Wandjina in the centre is called Namarali (Worrora) Wandjina. He is the only one with spears sticking out of his head. Namarali stole a wife of one of the other Wandjinas and they both ran away to the coast to a place called Langi. The husband of the women rounded up the other Wandjinas and they went after the two and caught up with them at Langi and they surrounded him (Namarali). They all threw their spears at him and as he was dying he told them to bury him in the sand but bury him on the nearby hill. To this day you can see the rock formations of the Wandjinas at the battle at Langi, and Namarali is the biggest rock of them all.

The third Wandjina on the right is Rimmijmurra (Wunambul). This Wandjina likes stealing so thats how it got his name.

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Wandjina, Gyorn Gyorn & Unguds (cloud and rain spirits, Bradshaw & totems)

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the people of Mowanjum. The Wandjinas brought the law, culture and language. The people of Mowanjum believe that the first Wandjina was called Idjair who lives in the Milky Way and is the father of all Wandjinas. The Wandjina Wallungunda was Idair’s first son; he created the Earth and all life upon it. After he created the first human beings, the Gyorn Gyorn people, Wallungunda traveled back to Idjair to bring back more Wandjinas to give the Gyorn Gyorn people laws to live by. Today the Gyorn Gyorns are known to give our corroboree and became hunters, collectors and gatherers.The Wandjina is highly respected by the people because it gave the law, culture and language. The Unguds represent the dreaming of the people which the Wandjina has given. Before birth, the Ungud is given to the father or the grandfather of a child. It way come through dreams, or it may come as a living animal. The animal becomes a gift from the Wandjina to the unborn child which the child belongs to. When the child dies it will go back to being that animal. Today every individual has their own animal.

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Ilala (child dreaming)

Long ago our ancestors used to travel visiting relatives on the way. They camped near Wuludi (waterholes or billabongs) which had Unguds (dreaming totems) in the Ngaboon (water). Sometimes childless couples were travelling and met with relatives, and that relative may dream or hear a Ilala (baby) cry. That relative may give the couple food or presents which are like giving the couple a Ilala (baby) they’ve longed for. Sometimes it could be in the form of an animal to represent the Ilala’s Ungud. Sometimes the couple would go swimming in the Ungud water (sacred water hole that spirits of children originate from), so it could see that the couple wanted a baby, and maybe would give them one.

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Wandjina (cloud and rain spirits)_Framed

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and along the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Wandjina represents the laws of everything the surrounds us trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit and animals, all creation. The Wandjinas give the law on how we have to treat and use these creations. These customs are carried on today.

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Boab seeds

The boab tree is special us – we can eat the nuts, the young roots are also delicious, and we make string from the bark.

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Wandjinas, Woolamurung, Fishes, Snakes and Digeridoos

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Wali (green sea turtle)

This painting is of the Wali, which we hunt and eat. I love painting this turtle because it makes me think of my mum’s country on the coast where they always hunted and ate. I’ve always painted this turtle’s eggs as well which are also good eating.

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Wandjina & Unguds (cloud and rain spirits & totems)

The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and up the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Wandjina gave the Law, Culture and Language to the people to abide by. These customs are carried on today. The Unguds represent the dreaming of the people which the Wandjina has given. The Ungud is given before birth to the parents, grandparents aunts or uncles of a child, through dreams, or it may come as a living animal.This is considered as a gift from the Wandjina to the parent, the animal becomes a gift to the unborn child which the child belongs to. Now when the child dies it goes back to being that animal. Today each and every individual has their own animal that belongs to them.

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Wandjina with Two Owls and Ungud

The wandjina, dumbi and ungud are all from the dreaming. 

If anything happens to the owls, the wandjina sends out the snakes to bring the rains.

Dumbi are very precious to the wandjina.