Barnkabarra (Mud Crabs) This design tells the story of Elizabeth’s homeland – a dreaming place, a good dreaming place with plenty of Barnkabarra (Mud Crabs). Elizabeth’s homeland lies east of Maningrida, at the mouth of Blyth river. This country is known for a large spiritual mud crab, which lives in Read more…
Ngarndúma (palm tree) Ngarndúma 2022 This is a kind of tall palm tree with one straight trunk growing in Arnhem Land. From Njamed.com: Kentia palm. Gronophyllum ramsayi; Carpentaria acuminata. Gender: djíya; Moiety: Yírriddjanga. N A. Karlakkalóddjarra márdba ka-rénjdjeya. The new shoot is sweet. The growing tip of young palms eaten raw; Read more…
Ngarndúma (palm tree) Ngarndúma 2022 This is a kind of tall palm tree with one straight trunk growing in Arnhem Land. From Njamed.com: Kentia palm. Gronophyllum ramsayi; Carpentaria acuminata. Gender: djíya; Moiety: Yírriddjanga. N A. Karlakkalóddjarra márdba ka-rénjdjeya. The new shoot is sweet. The growing tip of young palms eaten raw; Read more…
Kunmadj Kunmadj is the Kuninjku term for large woven collecting baskets, known as dillybags. They 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 baskets are used to collect a variety of heavy foods, such as fish Read more…
Namurre Boko A two colour screen print design from 2022. Jay’s first large format design to join the Bábbarra Designs Collection. ‘This is my first one, I’m really happy, I’m proud. It’s just a songline for everybody. This story is from my great great grandfather on my fathers side. The songline Read more…
Ngaldjorlhbo (Mother of Everything) Ngaldjorlhbo is a powerful woman who created the spiritual and tangible world for the Aboriginal people in Western Arnhem Land. In creating the land and environment, she endowed Kuninjku people with the ability to create art, and with their culture, to share with future generations. Ngaldjorlhbo gives Read more…
Welebme (flat) This is a Kune word that refers to the flattening out of items stones, flat leaves and kunbad (money). This design shows different items that have flattened out. Carol designed this for her grandkids to show them the tradition of Welebme.
Wubbunj (Paperbark Canoe) “Wubbunj is our traditional canoe. This design is the old history story of how people came to live in this place we call Maningrida. Two old people were staying on the other side of the saltwater, in Narlarrambarr area. The old people slept in a paper bark Read more…
Yawkyawk ‘Yawkyawk swim underneath the rock. They always stay there. When the sun comes out they come out from underneath the river, make themselves warm. They sit and they look around. When they sit, they cry to themselves. Ngaldjorlhbo (mother of everything) she created them – yawkyawk and the other Read more…
Yawkyawk in Stone Country Yawkyawk is a word from the Aboriginal Kunwinjku/Kunwok language, meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. Sometimes compared to the European notion of mermaids, yawkyawks are usually depicted with the tails of fish. They have long hair, associated with trailing blooms of algae, typically found Read more…