Maningrida Arts & Culture

Goanna, paperpark tree and crack mud stories

Yawkyawk (Ngalkunburriyaymi) This sculpture depicts yawkyawk, a specific Kuninjku word meaning ‘young woman spirit being’. Yawkyawk have fish tails and human torsos and reside in freshwater streams and billabongs. They are sometimes called ngalberddjenj which literally means ‘the woman who has a tail like a fish’. They have long hair which is associated with trailing Read more…

Jollie

Jollie

Jollie

Yawkyawk Yawkyawk is a word in the Kunwinjku/Kunwok language of Western Arnhem Land meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. The different groups of Kunwinjku people (one of the Eastern dialect groups call themselves Kuninjku) each have Yawkyawk mythologies, which relate to specific locations in clan estates. These mythologies Read more…

Dilebang This work by John Mawurndjul concerns a major patrimoiety ceremony of a secret and sacred nature called ‘Mardayin’. Much of the meaning of the iconography in the painting is not in the domain of public knowledge and so it cannot be explained in detail here. The painting also refers Read more…

Caterpillar

Mardayin Design This work concerns a major patrimoiety ceremony of a secret and sacred nature called ‘Mardayin’. Much of the meaning of the iconography in the painting is not in the domain of public knowledge. As such, it cannot be explained in detail here. The painting refers to a site, Read more…

Coil Basket Coiling technique was introduced in the 1920s at Goulburn Island to the Maung people by missionaries and quickly spread to the mainland. Many artists produce coiled baskets of varied shapes, ranging from small round baskets to large oval baby baskets made from dyed pandanus. Artists combine colours and Read more…