Blog

225482338670

Wandjina & Ungud (cloud and rain spirits & totem)

The Wandjina is the creator spirit that belongs to us (the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people). He is the one that created everything, he also gave us our culture, law and songs and even the dreaming of each child before they are born.

The Ungud Snake story is about two young boys who didn’t listen to their elders or believe in them. There is a big waterhole an in it lies a large Ungud Snake. The old people told the kids not to go near that waterhole, but these boys thought the elders were tricking them so they wanted to find out for themselves. So they went to the waterhole and built a hideout from branches with small holes so that they can see ( just in case the elders told the truth) they looked at the billabong and it was calm. They banged two sticks together to make clapping noise and then they saw all the lilypads starting to move apart on the water and large logs came up from out of the water, then came bubbles and after a huge head coming out of the water to have a look around for who had been making all the noise. He hadn’t seen annone so he went back down and the lilypads went flat and the water went calm. Those two boys ran back to the camp and told the elders that they were right , there was a snake and the elders told them that they should have listened in the first place. The Ungud Snake also was the chosen animal in helping with the creation of mother earth, creating rivers, gorges, stream’s and helped with the formation of the earth. Still today it lives in these dark deep water hole’s in our country which doesn’t want to be disturbed.

 

By CompNet Systems, ago

225482339441

Woolamarra (longneck turtle)

These Woolamarra are having a rough time because their waterhole has dried up. The Woolamarra have sung out to the Wandjina to help them find a new waterhole. Two Wandjinas, Datbudder and Djangunardi, have come to show the turtles how to get to the new waterhole.

By CompNet Systems, ago

225482339437

Wandjina & Ungud (cloud and rain spirits & totem)

The Wandjina is the creator spirit that belongs to us (the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people). He is the one that created everything, he also gave us our culture, law and songs and even the dreaming of each child before they are born.

The Ungud Snake story is about two young boys who didn’t listen to their elders or believe in them. There is a big waterhole an in it lies a large Ungud Snake. The old people told the kids not to go near that waterhole, but these boys thought the elders were tricking them so they wanted to find out for themselves. So they went to the waterhole and built a hideout from branches with small holes so that they can see ( just in case the elders told the truth) they looked at the billabong and it was calm. They banged two sticks together to make clapping noise and then they saw all the lilypads starting to move apart on the water and large logs came up from out of the water, then came bubbles and after a huge head coming out of the water to have a look around for who had been making all the noise. He hadn’t seen annone so he went back down and the lilypads went flat and the water went calm. Those two boys ran back to the camp and told the elders that they were right , there was a snake and the elders told them that they should have listened in the first place. The Ungud Snake also was the chosen animal in helping with the creation of mother earth, creating rivers, gorges, stream’s and helped with the formation of the earth. Still today it lives in these dark deep water hole’s in our country which doesn’t want to be disturbed.

 

By CompNet Systems, ago

220982340556

Jessie Ngwarraye Ross – My Country

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.
Jessie’s landscapes beautifully communicate the rich knowledge she possesses of medicinal plants and country, the heart of her culture.
Jessie’s has painted her country, Ampilatwatja. The brightly coloured flowers and small bushes are bush medicine and are still used within the community.
Jessie’s predominant theme in her paintings is ‘strong bush medicine’, demonstrating a deep connection to her country. Her work pays homage to the significance and use of traditional bush medicine, allowing an insight into her community. Yet underneath the iridescent surface, there is an underlying sense that there is more to this landscape than meets the eye. In keeping with the religious laws, Jessie reveals only a small amount of knowledge to the uninitiated.

By CompNet Systems, ago

220982340544

My Fathers Seed Dreaming – Lulu Teece

“Before my father died, he told me and my sister, that if we ever painted, he wanted us to paint his dreaming. His dreaming is the seed dreaming, from his country. I paint that story, it’s important. That’s why i always paint the seed dreaming.”- Lulu Teece

Lulu has a strong passion for bush medicine and provides the community with traditional bush medicine that she makes through facilities provided by the clinic.

This painting is a strong depiction of connection to culture, family and country.

By CompNet Systems, ago

220982340964

My Fathers Country – Kathleen Nanima Rambler

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories sit.

I paint the country of my Father and Mother and where they grew up, near Barrow Creek.

“This is the painting of my Father’s country, where I grew up. When we would go hunting, we always climbed those hills. We would take the kids hunting too and take photos of the hills.”

I use bright colours and beautiful attention to detail expresses the love and joy that I have for the country closest to my heart.

By CompNet Systems, ago

220982341551

Michelle Pula Holmes – My Country

“When I go out hunting I always like to see the colour in the trees, the light, the dark and the bush medicine plants growing on the sand hills. The colours change at sunrise and sunset. I like hunting and seeing my country.”

I love to paint since childhood. My paintings show my deep love for my country and the beauty I see.

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’ dreaming stories. The artists paint their country where those stories belong.

By CompNet Systems, ago

225482343149

Gulawala pearlshell-Wandjina

Gulawala is the Pearlshell Wandjina. He came from the sweet water country and travelled to the coast. On the seaside in the saltwater he collected pearl shells and made a necklace out of it. When he travelled back to the sweet water country she showed off his beautiful pearl shell necklace.

By CompNet Systems, ago

220982349420

Sevania Kemarre Bonney – My View of Country

Sevenia was born in Soakage Bore, Utopia and started to paint when she was teenager. She learnt the way to paint landscape and bush medicine from her grandmother Eileen Bonney, a former health worker and artist.

Sevenia finds painting soothing and enjoys to share this activity with her kids so they can learn as she did with her grandmother.

 Knowing your country is an important part of living in a remote community like Ampilatwatja. Knowing when and where to go hunting and gathering, knowing where there is ‘soakage’ (where you can dig for water), travelling with family for ceremonies, and maintaining a connection with the land.

“This is my country, my view of country.”

The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’(dreaming stories). The artists paint their country where those stories sit.

By CompNet Systems, ago