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Waanungga (sugar bag)
Waanugga is a word that describes various forms of bush honey. The hives in which honey is stored are called ‘Sugarbag’, and can be found in trees and in termite mounds. The Wandjinas keep the countryside fresh and healthy which allows the native bees to produce high quality honey.
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Idjaa and the first Wandjinas of the Milky way
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Wandjina & Jaiya (cloud and rain spirits & fish)
The Wandjina is the creator spirit that belongs the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people. He is the one that created everything and gave us our culture, law and songs. He even gave us the dreaming/ totem of each child before they are born. Wandjina is the creator of all food on the land and in the sea. He’s the one who gave us Jaiya.
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Gyorn Gyorn (Bradshaws)
The Wandjina created the earth and all life upon it, then he created the first human beings: the Gyorn Gyorn people. He then told them to work the land and do well. The Gyorn Gyorns were confused and didn’t understand what the Wandjina wanted from them. The Wandjina was annoyed couldn’t control the Gyorn Gyorn so he travelled back to Wallungunda (Milky Way) to where Idjair was and asked if he could help with the creation. More Wandjinas came back and helped him in all areas of creation. The Gyorn Gyorns became hunters and gathers. They also show the traditional dancing amongst our tribes.
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Wandjina Dreaming
The Wandjina spirit of the Wororra, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul tribe is highly respected by the people of Mowanjum. The Wandjinas brought the law, culture and language. The people of Mowanjum believe that the first Wandjina was called Idjair. He created the first human beings, the Gyorn Gyorn people. Wallungunder (Milky Way) travelled back to Idjair (the first Wandjina) to bring back more Wandjinas to give the Gyorn Gyorn (Bradshaw) people laws to live by. Wallungunder also created Ungud spirits which often appear in Mowanjum people. Every person at Mowanjum has an Ungud or Totem. It’s given before birth by the father or the grandfather through dreams, and represents a living animal. The three Wandjinas which represent the three language groups of Mowanjum are Namarali for the Worora people, Wodjin or Wanalirri for the Ngarinyin people, and Rimijmarra for the Wunumbul people. Each family group at Mowanjum has a Wandjina which guides them through their lives. The Wandjinas are most active as cloud spirits during the monsoon period, bringing rain to the entire Kimberley region. The Wandjinas facial characteristics can represent many climatic features. The eyes of the Wandjina can represent thunderstorms and even cyclones. The bigger and darker the eyes, the more powerful the Wandjina is said to be. The haloes and lines around the face represent different cloud formations and lightning. The line between the eyes resembles a nose, but it is actually a power line which is used to transfer energy. Small brush marks on the Wandjinas body usually represent rain drops. Wandjinas can be represented with either four or five fingers. When depicted with only head and shoulders the Wandjina is said to be floating in space or in the form of a cloud or storm. A full-bodied Wandjina is said to be walking the Earth. The rounded feature in the upper chest area can represent the heart of the Wandjina or a large pearl shell that was worn by tribal leaders.
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Wandjina & Unguds (cloud and rain spirits & totems)
The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and up the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. The Wandjina gave the Law, Culture and Language to the people to abide by. These customs are carried on today. The Unguds represent the dreaming of the people which the Wandjina has given. The Ungud is given before birth to the parents, grandparents aunts or uncles of a child, through dreams, or it may come as a living animal.This is considered as a gift from the Wandjina to the parent, the animal becomes a gift to the unborn child which the child belongs to. Now when the child dies it goes back to being that animal. Today each and every individual has their own animal that belongs to them.
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Wandjina, Wullamurrange (cloud and rain spirit & longneck turtle) & Freshwater crocodile.
The Wullamurrungge was created by the Wandjina. It’s special because the Wandjina left a gift inside of the Wullamurra in the form of a skeleton that looks like the Wandjina and the Gyorn Gyorn. The law goes that before you can take and eat the turtle it has to crawl on the back of the person who’s going to eat it. This then satisfies the Wandjina and you’re able to eat it. This law is passed down from generation to generation.
This painting represents child dreaming. The freshwater crocodile are very important to our tribe. Before you eat it the crocodile has to walk on the back of the person who is going to eat the crocodile. This is a respect to the country for giving the animal and to get something back in return. A scratch on the back.
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Djalala & Wandjinas (wandjinas with boundary stones on their body)
This painting represents Petrinas grandfathers country_ Mt House. These Wandjinas are from Bell Gorge, 20km from Imintji Community on the Gibb River Road. The image of Bell Gorge Wandjina with that of Djalala (the dotted circles inside the body of the Wandjina).
The Wandjina made all the country, its law’s, animals and people. The Djalala are part of the law. They mark the territory of different clans as well as sacred sites and are also used to direct people to fresh water or the shelter of a cave.
