Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation

Mandudjmi (green plum) and Kayawa (floormat) *Green Plum – 

Yawkyawk dja Wayuk (young woman spirit and waterlily) Deborah Wurrkidj is a Kuninjku artist from the Kurulk clan whose country lies around the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land. This image depicts a female water spirit, or Yawkyawk, from a creek in the rock country near Yikkarakal. The Yawkyawk Read more…

Djenj (fish) and mandjabu (fishtrap) This fabric was created using the linocut fabric printing technique, which has been refined at Bábbarra Women’s Centre since it was introduced in the mid-1990s. The Lino tile is carved by the artist at Bábbarra Designs. It is printed on fabric by hand using a variety of colours Read more…

Ngalyod (Rainbow Serpent) The third part of the story is Ngalyod. Kuninjku people say there are two Rainbow serpents. One is Yingarna, who is said to have been the original creator of all ancestral beings, the ‘first mother’. Yingarna’s first born is Ngaloyd. Yingarna, or her son Ngalyod, are a Read more…

Rrugurrgurda (mud crab) * Burarra This design tells the story of Elizabeth’s homeland – a dreaming place, a good dreaming place with plenty of mud crabs. Elizabeth’s homeland lies east of Maningrida, at the mouth of the Blyth river. This country is known for a large spiritual mud crab, which Read more…

Djenj dja Komrdawh (Swordfish and Turtle) “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. Read more…

Wak Wak – Melba This design depicts a sacred site at ‘Kurrurldul’, an outstation south of Maningrida. The ‘rarrk’, or abstract crosshatching, on this work represents the design for the crow totem ancestor called ‘Djimarr’. Today this being exists in the form of a rock, which is permanently submerged at Read more…

Kunwardde dja Karrbarda (Rocks and Yam Vine) Susan Marawarr is a Kuninjku artist from the Kurulk clan whose country lies around the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land. In this design, she has depicted karrbarda (long yam) on her traditional country, the kunwardde (stone country). The large stones represent the Read more…

Kunwardde dja Karrbarda (Rocks and Yam Vine) Susan Marawarr is a Kuninjku artist from the Kurulk clan whose country lies around the outstation of Mumeka in central Arnhem Land. In this design, she has depicted karrbarda (long yam) on her traditional country, the kunwardde (stone country). The large stones represent the Read more…

Kunmadj dja Kunkanin (Dillybag and Digging Stick) In this design, Jennifer has depicted kun-madj (dillybag), which is a large woven collecting basket. These large bags are often made from the burney vine (Malaisia scandens), a strong, pliable plant that grows along the ground and into the canopy of monsoon vine thickets. The bags Read more…