Bula’bula Arts

---

---

JB Fisher – Mewal

This painting is about the story of the rock Mewal, that is the embodiment of the spirit man Mokuy who created the honey men/sugar bag tribe. In the story, Mokuy runs away from from a burning grass fire and to escape he turns into the special curved shape rock that is just outside Ramingining. In this painting people are singing and dancing to Mewal around a special tree. It is a ceremony day. People are also collecting Yams (Pitarro) a bush tucker vegetable that is black on the outside and white on the inside.

This is JB Fisher’s story from his country in the heritage listed Arafura Wetlands in North East Arnhem Land. He has inherited this story from his Father, and his Fathers Father, and this story goes back forever. As long as the Yolngu people have been here.

 

---

---

Raypiny Dhawu (Fresh Water Story)

All Aboriginal people 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 spirits) that were created long ago close to the beginning of time. These creator beings moved across the countryside, 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 and 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. Many Ganalbingu artists paint totemic species significant to their clan. These can include baru (crocodile), banda (long necked turtle), buliya (catfish), yalman (waterlilies), gumang (magpie geese), dakawa (fresh water yabby), ratjuk (barramundi), warrnyu (flying fox) and more.

 

---

---

Warrnyu Dhawu (Flying Fox Story)

Back in the Creation time, Warrnyu (Flying Foxes) once lived, like men, in the cave at the place called Kurrki Warrnyu Yirri Djaringal (they also lived in caves called Wadatilmurr & Gurngurmirrngu). Warrnyu lived in these caves for many years and then one day Djanyarr (The Dog), an ancestral being in the form of a man, came along. He was looking around for a place to live. Djanyarr heard the sound of a Flying Fox screaming. He went down to the cliff and pushed the rock and the water came out at the Ganalbingu place called Gurrkawakarrmurr. He then went into the cave and into the sacred hole, frightening all the Flying Fox away. When he went into the hole he left his dilly bag in the tree and went out on the other side of the sacred cave and leaving his spear and woomera. He sat there for a long time. The Dog made three streams and the water went inside the cave. Two of these streams are good drinking water. In the middle it is a sacred water. No-one drinks from the middle of the stream. Children, men, women, young boys or girls are not allowed to drink from the middle of the stream. If they drink the water from the middle of the stream they will go grey too early.

At Kurrki Warrnyu Yirri Ngilaya Djaringal, the Flying Fox made himself into a young man… that’s what Aboriginal people do today. They have ceremonies and dances to make the young boys into men. The songs are called Yirrarwu, Gulumu, Rruburra and Burryun. Dhapi (initiation ceremony) happen today because the Warrnyu (Flying Fox) people performed them a long time ago before the Yolgnu people. It was the Warrnyu people who first performed circumcision of the young boys to make them into men. It all happened at Kurrki Warrnyu Yirri Ngilaya Djaringal, this is how this place got its name.

Leaving behind the cave at Kurrki Warrnyu Yirri Djaringal, the Dog travelled west across the Arafura Swamp and came to Djalkulmurr (Mount Delight). From there he travelled north and came to Dunganda (a hill situated a few kilometres east of Ramingining). There he met a female Dog, then they both headed north and came to a place called Garanydjirrmurr where they spoke the Mildjingi language. From Garanydjirrmurr they changed their direction and went west through Guliny’barra, Burgumara and onto the plains. When they reached the plains they smelled something cooking, way up in the north – at Wessel Islands. The aroma they smelt was so enticing that they decided to go there. Lungurrma (the north-east wind) was carrying the smell. One Dog headed north again, but the other Dog decided not to go with him and went back the opposite way. The first Dog that went to Malwanatharra (Sandy Point) went into the sea following its nose to wherever the smell was coming from. It is believed that this Dog still lives in the sea…

---

---

Peter Gambung – Guwarrtji (sea turtle)

Peter is painting a sea turtle (or Hawksbill Turtle) from his Yirritja song line. This depiction of the Guwarrtji is a small part of a great story which Peter inherited from the Liyagal-wu Mirr tribe, his mother tribe. The diamonds on the Guwarrtji’s shell connect this story to the honey story, another part of Peter’s song line. Upon Peter’s death, his spirit will return to the Guwarrtji.

---

---

Ganalbingu – Banda (Long Necked Turtle)

The long necked turtle is a dreaming totem for the freshwater people, the Ganalbingu, whose country includes the World Heritage listed, Arafura Wetlands in Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory

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 Wangga (Creator Beings), long ago close to the beginning of time. These 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 creator 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. Some of their major Creative Beings include Banda (freshwater long neck turtle) and Yalman (water lilies).

---

---

Quincey’s Jabiru

Quincey creates stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and Quincy 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.

This carving is a Jabiru, one of Quincey’s totems.  

---

---

Quincey’s Jabiru

Quincey creates stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and Quincy 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.

This carving is a Jabiru, one of Quincey’s totems.  

---

---

Quincey’s Jabiru

Quincey creates stories from his Dhuwa homeland in northeast Arnhem Land. Stories are passed on either paternally or maternally, and Quincy 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.

This carving is a Jabiru, one of Quincey’s totems.  

---

---

Woven Mat

Traditionally, Nganiyal (conical mats) were used as an insect screen when erected, and as a sitting mat when folded. They are used in Ceremony as well as a functional item. 

Nowadays, artists weave many different shapes including flat, round and oblong. 

---

---

Buliya (catfish)

Buliya (catfish) are a favourite fish for Yolngu, They are often depicted amongst the waterlillies, leeches and natural debris such as leaves and reeds.