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Yawkyawk (Young Woman Spirit) Yawkyawk is a word from the Aboriginal Kuninjku language, meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. Sometimes compared to the European notion of mermaids, yawkyawks are usually depicted with the tails of fish. They have long hair, associated with trailing blooms of algae, typically found Read more…

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Yawkyawk (Young Woman Spirit) Yawkyawk is a word from the Aboriginal Kuninjku language, meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. Sometimes compared to the European notion of mermaids, yawkyawks are usually depicted with the tails of fish. They have long hair, associated with trailing blooms of algae, typically found Read more…

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Mabbúlarr Mabbúlarr is the Ndjébbana word describing calm and stillness – both regarding people and the ocean. This design tells the story of underwater life in the shallows. The turtle we call marláddja (green turtle, Chelonia mydas) and the stingray we call marnandjúbba (Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus sephen). ‘When strong wind Read more…

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Mabbúlarr Mabbúlarr is the Ndjébbana word describing calm and stillness – both regarding people and the ocean. This design tells the story of underwater life in the shallows. The turtle we call marláddja (green turtle, Chelonia mydas) and the stingray we call marnandjúbba (Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus sephen). ‘When strong wind Read more…

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Mabbúlarr Mabbúlarr is the Ndjébbana word describing calm and stillness – both regarding people and the ocean. This design tells the story of underwater life in the shallows. The turtle we call marláddja (green turtle, Chelonia mydas) and the stingray we call marnandjúbba (Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus sephen). ‘When strong wind Read more…

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Gungura Janet Marawarr has depicted kunkurra, the spiralling wind associated with several sites in the Kardbam clan. On one level, this design can be interpreted as a depiction of the kinds of mini-cyclones common during the wet season in Arnhem Land, where the artist lives. Kunkurra also relates specifically to Read more…

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Mabbúlarr Mabbúlarr is the Ndjébbana word describing calm and stillness – both regarding people and the ocean. This design tells the story of underwater life in the shallows. The turtle we call marláddja (green turtle, Chelonia mydas) and the stingray we call marnandjúbba (Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus sephen). ‘When strong wind Read more…

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Djenj dja Komrdawh “My country is called Mankorlod. It is near the rock country. My dreaming is komrdawh (long neck turtle), the one I painted in my design. I like to eat komrdaw, it tastes really nice. We catch them in dry and wet season near Mankorlod. This is my Read more…

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Djenj dja Komrdaw “My country is called Mankorlod. It is near the rock country. My dreaming is komrdaw (long neck turtle), the one I painted in my design. I like to eat komrdaw, it tastes really nice. We catch them in dry and wet season near Mankorlod. This is my Read more…

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Collecting Manme (Bush Food) ‘All that jungle around Mumeka, on the other side of the river.. that’s where we go looking for manme (bush food) like manyawok (cheeky yam) and karrbarda (long yam). The yawk yawk (young woman spirit) is holding a kunkaninj (digging stick), kun-madj (dilly bag) and all Read more…

© the artist / art centre