Bana Yirriji Art Centre

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Kudi Ngadimunku – Barra from the dreamtime SF

When Kudi (Barra) was small, he grew up as a boy. He went out hunting with the other men and young boys for kangaroo, goanna, turtles, dugong and crocodile.

As a young boy, he went through initiation to be a young man. After that he was getting lazy and would make excuses not to go hunting with the men, saying I am too tired or I have a sore foot.

When the men left, he would go follow the woman and from a distance watch them get muscles, dig round for eggs, gather yams and other women’s business. He was curious about what the women got up to.

One day, one of the old ladies saw Kudi standing behind a bush looking at them. When the women got back to camp they told the old men about Kudi watching them.

The old men got together and told the magic man about Kudi and sing him into a young girl.

After that he was no longer a man he disappeared never to be seen again. He got big shame and jumped into the water. Kudi turned into a Barramundi fish.

Today you see Barra, at first it is a male, later in the years he turns into a female.

 

Story by Cedric Sam Friday

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Yindili, kingfisher

My painting is about the Yindili, kingfisher. There are a lot of kingfishers in Wujal Wujal.

I was born in Katherine in the Northern Territory.  I grew up in Darwin and spent time in Milingimbi. I decided to move to Wujal Wujal in 2022 to spend time with my father’s family.

When i was working as a ranger I learnt how make handmade string, weaving techniques, bush foods and medicines and how to look after country.  

I also learn how to weave by my mother. She taught me how to make baskets from pandanus using the coiling technique.

I’ve been mostly a weaver but now trying painting. We might have a go at weaving in Wujal Wujal.

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Painting Our Culture

This painting reflects the patterns, animals and stories from my culture.

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Kababina, waterlily

My painting represents the waterlily that live and grow around my bubu (country). I love going out bush and am enjoy looking at the wetlands which gives me inspiration for my artwork.

I am a Nyungul woman. My art depicts cultural, historic and contemporary stories from my Country, the Helensvale and Shipton’s Flat area in Far North Queensland. 

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Gunga, Pandanus Mat. DC

My painting depicts the Gunga, a woven Pandanus Mat. 

I learnt how to weave by my mother.  She taught me how to make baskets from pandanus using the coiling technique.  I learnt how make string bags, dilly bags and woven mats during a workshop for junior rangers.  

I’ve been mostly a weaver but now trying painting.  We might have a go at weaving in Wujal Wujal.  

 

 

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Kudi Ngadimunku – Barra from the dreamtime SF

When Kudi (Barra) was small, he grew up as a boy. He went out hunting with the other men and young boys for kangaroo, goanna, turtles, dugong and crocodile.

As a young boy, he went through initiation to be a young man. After that he was getting lazy and would make excuses not to go hunting with the men, saying I am too tired or I have a sore foot.

When the men left, he would go follow the woman and from a distance watch them get muscles, dig round for eggs, gather yams and other women’s business. He was curious about what the women got up to.

One day, one of the old ladies saw Kudi standing behind a bush looking at them. When the women got back to camp they told the old men about Kudi watching them.

The old men got together and told the magic man about Kudi and sing him into a young girl.

After that he was no longer a man he disappeared never to be seen again. He got big shame and jumped into the water. Kudi turned into a Barramundi fish.

Today you see Barra, at first it is a male, later in the years he turns into a female.

 

Story by Cedric Sam Friday

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Handmade Jewellery

These individual jewellery pieces have been hand made and painted by the local indigenous artists from Wujal Wujal. Each piece is unique. All have been hand crafted from local recycled and found objects. 

Each piece has its own story, which is a statement from the artist that reflects the artists culture and connection to Country.

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Bulnja

I am a Ngkugkul  woman from Shipton’s Flat, my mother’s Country.  My dad was a  Kaanju man from the Coen area.

When I was about 14 years old I started painting bulnja (owls).  I was still at school. I liked looking at bulnja in the rainforest.  I liked their colours and patterns in the feathers.  They are really good at camouflage and you need good eyes to see them!  You can find the bulnja when they sing out. It’s a funny noise!  Bulnja eat little insects, lizards and mice that live in the rainforest. The bulnja have important story but I can’t talk about it. 

I painted bulnja because they live in the rainforest.  They live up in the trees.  It’s the only place you can see them around here.  The rainforest, its plants, trees and animals means a lot to me.

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Ngawiya, Sea Turtle LC

My painting is about Ngawiya, sea turtle.

Our families have made camps down the beach all my life. It started with my parents and grandparents taking me camping as a young child.

Now I am older, and have a large family I take my grandkids and great grandkids down the beach to camp, make a big fire, wait for my family to bring turtle they caught in the boat, cook them up and have a good feed with the whole family.

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Gunga, Pandanus Mat. DC

My painting depicts the Gunga, a woven Pandanus Mat. 

I learnt how to weave by my mother.  She taught me how to make baskets from pandanus using the coiling technique.  I learnt how make string bags, dilly bags and woven mats during a workshop for junior rangers.  

I’ve been mostly a weaver but now trying painting.  We might have a go at weaving in Wujal Wujal.