Manbirrbbirr (small bush flowers) In Kuninjku the name manbirrbbirr is used for a number of densely flowering shrubs and small trees including Verticordia cunninghamii, yellow flowering Austromyrtus species and also Acacia platycarpa which also has dense white. This design is a patchwork of small Lino tiles representing various flowers in Arnhem Land. Abigail has incorporated the designs Read more…
Kunred Kunkurra (Helen Kaminski) The artist, Janet Marawarr calls this design Kunred Kunkurra in her language, Kuninjku. Kunred means country, kunkurra refers the spiralling wind associated with the mini cyclones that occur around several sites in the Kardbam clan during the build up to the wet season. Marawarr often shares different versions Read more…
man-kurdudjumuk – yellow colour The striking yellow – gold hue comes from the root of the man-kurdudjumuk plant (coelospermum reticulatum) which has been harvested from the sandy country near the flood plains. This laborious and tiring process requires digging up the entire shrub. The root is shaven into a pot of Read more…
Manyawok (Cheeky Yam) This design depicts the cheeky yam, which is found on the artist’s country, near the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land. Yams are an important bush food that are collected during the wet season. Unlike other yams that can be eaten roasted, the cheeky yam can Read more…
Ngalng and Kunred Ngalng (fresh water yabby) ‘This is a story from Mankorlod. This is a djang story. This is the creation story about the fresh water yabby. Starting with the stone, that’s the raw one and the cooked one. The stone rock suddenly turned to ngalng, in a flash. Read more…
Mankotbe (Bush Onion) Mankotbe (bush onion) grows under the ground, we follow the vine to dig it up. It is brown on the outside and white inside and we cook it on the fire, just like a potato. All the old people used to eat Mankotbe on my homeland. My Read more…
Gunga (Pandanus) Gunga refers to the weaving and production of goods from pandanus leaves and natural fibres. This design depicts fibre art from her homeland Galiwinku, Elcho Island. The fish trap, basket, string bag and pandanus mats are objects as well as ancestral spirits and are significant to the artists Read more…
Bawáliba (Stone Country Mimih) ‘Bawáliba is the djang (Dreaming) of my mother and my uncles. They are good spirits, they protect us and they recognise families. They are really tall- just like human beings, like us. They dance late at night and have a lot of hair. In olden times, Read more…