377810582287629
Yam Leaf – Belinda Kernan
This fabric was created using the linocut printing technique. The lino tile was carved by the artist in Maningrida and printed by hand using a variety of colours and layers. The linocut technique ensures each textile piece is a one-off, limited edition piece.
377810582287525
Yokkarra (fish), Ngaduna (palm tree) & Barruar (Seagull egg)
‘Hi it’s me Marilyn! I’m the age of 52. I like working at the women centre and doing lino printing but I prefer screen printing. I have one design, that’s lorrkkon (hollow log). My great grandfather used to make lorrkkon and do bark paining. I never met him but I heard a lot of stories about him. My mother used to tell me history stories. When I was 16 my parents passed away. I’m was on my own but now I’ve got my own family and my partner who helps me. I’ve got 6 grandchildren.
My homeland is Entrance island, Haulround island and Juda point. I really like Haulround island and that’s where we collect barruar (seagull egg). Entrance island is my favourite camping area, I go across with boat. Balanda (non-Aboriginal or European people) can’t go into those islands or Juda point without permission from me.
Come and chat to me if you want to go to any of those places. We have a sacred totem ngaduma (palm tree) at those places and if people destroy it, we will have a strong wind and maybe a cyclone.’
Marilyn James 2021
377810582287194
Seagull and seaweed
377810582287172
Djomi (Fresh Water Spirit)
This design depicts the story of the artist’s ancestral dreaming, the Djomi fresh water spirit mermaid.
The Djomi figure is a mermaid like spirit with fish tail that lives in the fresh water stream that flows out to the sea cliff near Maningrida. Djomi is a known to be a very powerful fertility symbol.
‘If you go there you can get pregnant easily. Djomi has babies, and they can give others babies too. The Djomi spirit is so powerful, that women can end up with multiple babies at once, twins or sometimes even more. The Djomi spirits lay eggs near the sacred freshwater stream in Maningrida. Inside the eggs are human babies as well as young Djomi.
Men do not go near that swamp, because Djomi is so powerful that men might get pregnant there too. So men, they are too scared of that Djomi. When we visit the Djomi freshwater spring, we can hear young Djomi crying. They sound like normal babies crying, those Djomi spirits. They are looking for a mother.
This Djomi is my dreaming, I got permission from my djunguys to paint this Djomi design. For me I always ask my djunguy permission to paint, because that is our cultural way.
This design also depicts the fresh water lily leaves, and seaweed from the base of the sea floor.
377810582286541
Fish trap and dilly bag
377810582286540
Fish trap and dilly bag
377810582287031
Bush flowers growing up from the sand
377810582286990
Mimih Dancing
‘This is an artwork about two dancing Mimihs. It’s based on a songline from Korlobidahdah. My fathers eldest brother used to sing this song line and Unkle D, he was a dancer. My real father, Jacky was a dancer as well and he was from Korlobidahdah. This is a really happy musical story to celebrate culture and family.
377810582286937
Mimih Dancing
‘This is an artwork about two dancing Mimihs. It’s based on a songline from Korlobidahdah. My fathers eldest brother used to sing this song line and Unkle D, he was a dancer. My real father, Jacky was a dancer as well and he was from Korlobidahdah. This is a really happy musical story to celebrate culture and family.