Bula’bula Arts

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Woven Saratoga

Yolŋu weavers of Arnhem Land craft both utilitarian and ceremonial objects using naturally sourced materials, with more recent works also including decorative pieces, such as this woven barramundi.

The primary material used in this piece is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, that are harvested using a long wooden hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, with the smaller fibres being dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create this motif of a barramundi, a vital and abundant food source for Yolŋu people.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

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Bathi (Pandanus Basket)

Yolŋu weavers of Arnhem Land create utilitarian, ceremonial, and decorative pieces using naturally sourced materials. This Bathi (Pandanus Basket) is made from young Pandanus spiralis leaves, harvested with a wooden hook, stripped of prickles, and dried to create strong, resilient fibres. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or woven using various techniques to produce both functional and decorative baskets.

Typically, Bathi are made using a coiling technique which was adapted from techniques used by Indigenous women throughout Southeast Australia. Introduced to Arnhem Land weavers in the 1930’s as Missionaries began commissioning pieces in this style.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

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Bathi (Pandanus Basket)

Yolŋu weavers of Arnhem Land create utilitarian, ceremonial, and decorative pieces using naturally sourced materials. This Bathi (Pandanus Basket) is made from young Pandanus spiralis leaves, harvested with a wooden hook, stripped of prickles, and dried to create strong, resilient fibres. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or woven using various techniques to produce both functional and decorative baskets.

Typically, Bathi are made using a coiling technique which was adapted from techniques used by Indigenous women throughout Southeast Australia. Introduced to Arnhem Land weavers in the 1930’s as Missionaries began commissioning pieces in this style.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

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Djerrk (Bush String Bag)

Djerrk (Bush String Bag) is a flexible, open weave bag made from the bark of Balgurr (red-flowered Kurrajong) but can also be made using Banyan Tree or the Cocky Apple Tree.

The bark is harvested by cutting sections of the tree from the trunk. Depending on the size of the tree, this can involve removing small sections or the whole trunk. The inner bark is then softened by being beaten or chewed, then dyed.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into dried balgurr fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

Once dyed, the fibre is separated into fine strips the rolled on the thigh to create a rope, otherwise known as bush string. The bush string is woven and knotted to create the Djerrk (String Bag). This bag was used for every day utilitarian purposes, particularly collecting bush foods.

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Djerrk (Bush String Bag)

Djerrk (Bush String Bag) is a flexible, open weave bag made from the bark of Balgurr (red-flowered Kurrajong) but can also be made using Banyan Tree or the Cocky Apple Tree.

The bark is harvested by cutting sections of the tree from the trunk. Depending on the size of the tree, this can involve removing small sections or the whole trunk. The inner bark is then softened by being beaten or chewed, then dyed.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into dried balgurr fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.

Once dyed, the fibre is separated into fine strips the rolled on the thigh to create a rope, otherwise known as bush string. The bush string is woven and knotted to create the Djerrk (String Bag). This bag was used for every day utilitarian purposes, particularly collecting bush foods.

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Matjka (Ceremonial Body Wear)

Matjka are ceremonial body adornments made from balgurr (Kurrajong).  The string is put over the arms and crossed at the chest, the thick are goes down the spine. Bark is stripped from the tree, smashed with a rock to soften then boiled, sometimes with natural bush dyes. The balgurr is then rolled in the a rope then used to create ceremonial wear. 

The essence of Yolngu ceremonies lies in the reenactment of the ancestral beings’ actions that shaped the land and established the laws that govern it. These ceremonies are conveyed through an intricate blend of songs, dances, paintings, objects, and carefully choreographed sequences of action. 

For Yolngu, these elements are more than mere expressions; they embody the very essence of the ancestral beings. They serve as a vital link to the ancestral world, bridging the past with the present. Each clan holds a unique collection of songs, paintings, and sacred objects known collectively as the clan’s “madayin” or sacred Law, which is intimately tied to the deeds and legacies of the ancestral beings who forged the clan’s land.

The sacred Law of each clan is not isolated but interconnected with the Laws of other clans within the same moiety. This interconnection stems from the ancestral beings’ journeys, which often traversed the lands of multiple clans, creating a shared foundation of Law and tradition.

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JB Fisher – Narrgi’ṉarrgi (possum- sugar glider)

JB paints stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and JB would have learnt these stories from his ancestors. The cross-hatching style is a traditional painting style of this area and can represent elements such as water, air and wind.

His paintings often feature totemic animals of the fresh waters of north east Arnhem Land.

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JB Fisher – Wuldulbal/badju (bream)

JB paints stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and JB would have learnt these stories from his ancestors. The cross-hatching style is a traditional painting style of this area and can represent elements such as water, air and wind.

JB’s paintings often feature totemic animals of the fresh waters of north east Arnhem Land.

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Baltji (Yam)

This painting depicts Baltji (Yam) which has been a reliable food source for Yolngu people for many centuries. Baltji can be found across the different landscapes of East Arnhem Land and are only harvested seasonally. 

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Gumang (Magpie Geese)

The Yolngu people of Arnhem Land originate from a spiritual source, fixed in a particular place in their land or the sea. These ‘Spiritual Reservoirs’ are often in the form of special waterholes made by Wangarr (Creative Beings) long ago close to the beginning of time.

The creator beings moved across the country side, shaping the land and implanting in each tract of country, the spiritual life force for the people who were to own it. These Creative Spirits took many forms. When they gave the land to each group they also gave songs, dances, ceremony, the associated laws and language. The Creation story for Ganalbingu people took place near the middle section of the Glyde River where it becomes the Goyder River. Their land, Ngaliyindi, sits astride the Arafura Swamp in Central Arnhem Land.

In this painting, the artist has depicted Gumang (magpie geese) and Banda (long necked turtle) , which are sacred to the Ganalbingu people. To the east of the Arafura Swamp is a freshwater billabong which is said to have been made by the Goose Spirit and is in the shape of a goose nest. As a result, geese, their eggs and their nests are sacred.