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Diwan (Scrub Turkey)
Diwan are bush food – an important source of meat. We also eat the eggs. They are a delicacy. The male bird looks after the nest and will not go far, as he has to protect the nest from bush goanna’s. If they come around, he will send out an alarm call to other Diwan to alert therm. The nesting time for Diwan is September to December. The bush goanna knows when the eggs will be ready to hatch. When the goannas start hanging around, this is a good sign that the eggs are ready. We dig for eggs with digging sticks or by hand. The nest is very deep and when you can feel the warmth with your hands, you know that the eggs are close-by. The eggs are very good for health and make you strong.
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Walkarr (Bush Goanna)
Walkar (Bush Goanna) is found in eastern and western Yalanji land both in rainforest country and inland plains. Walkarr was an important food source to our Kuku Yalanji ancestors. Goannas are great tree climbers and sometimes hard to catch.
Walkarr was hunted with spears and brought back to prepare and cook in earth ovens or over a fire. Once it was cooked it was laid on paperbark and a mussel shell was used to scrape the outside of the skin and to cut up the meat to share. The oil from the Walkarr was also used as a liniment and to make cooking oil.
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Warru Warru Murruku (Men’s Business)
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Kurranji (Cassowary)
Long time ago, the cassowary was a precious food source for our ancestors. They ate the meat and the eggs, used the feathers for ceremonies and weaving, and the skins for blankets. The Cassowary is a powerful Totem for us because it helps growing many plants that were important for food, medicine and tool making. The Cassowary can walk wide distances and spread the seeds of the fruits he eats everywhere. Plants grow also out of his dung.
I show the cassowary in my art because it is also my partner’s totem. He performs the cassowary dance in public ceremonies. It was bestowed on him by his mother’s sister when he was a young boy. In 1997 he went with the Yalanji Dance Group to Hong Kong to perform the Cassowary dance there.”
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Ngawiya (Sea Turtle)
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Jarruka (Scubfowl)
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Kakan (Black Palm) Basket Weaving
This design shows how the bottom part of a black palm basket is woven. My grandmothers and aunties used to make them. They cut off the young palm leaves in the centre, stripped and scrapped them. Then they would put the strips in freshwater to make them soft and keep them straight for weaving.
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UNFRAMED
Hand printed screen print, limited edition on archival Hahnemühle, signed by the artist.
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Kakan (Black Palm) Basket Weaving
This design shows how the bottom part of a black palm basket is woven. My grandmothers and aunties used to make them. They cut off the young palm leaves in the centre, stripped and scrapped them. Then they would put the strips in freshwater to make them soft and keep them straight for weaving.
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UNFRAMED
Hand printed screen print, limited edition on archival Hahnemühle, signed by the artist.
225182308084
Kakan (Black Palm) Basket Weaving
This design shows how the bottom part of a black palm basket is woven. My grandmothers and aunties used to make them. They cut off the young palm leaves in the centre, stripped and scrapped them. Then they would put the strips in freshwater to make them soft and keep them straight for weaving.
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FRAMED
Custom framed locally with Tru Vue Museum Glass ®.
Hand printed screen print, limited edition on archival Hahnemühle, signed by the artist.