MOWANJUM ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

Dry Season Wattle This painting represents the Dry Season Wattle that blooms during the dry season (winter).

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 Read more…

Wandjina the rainmaker This Wandjina is called the rainmaker. Two lightning spirits in a cave are waiting for the clouds to gather up, so he can make the rain and lightning. Where you see a lot of Wandjinas they represent the laws of trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit, animals and Read more…

Wullamurrunge & Wandjina (longneck turtle & cloud and rain spirits) The Wullamurrungge was created by the Wandjina. It’s special because the Wandjina left a gift inside: a skeleton that looks like the Wandjina and the Gyorn Gyorn (Bradshaw people). The law he gave to the people was that before a Read more…

Bangarl (bat) A long time ago when my grandmother (Maisie Woodbu) was young, she had a dream. She dreamed that she was walking in the bush near Munja. She found an old tree that had a big hole in it and there were noises coming from the hollow log. She Read more…

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 Read more…

Rimmijbudda (cloud and rain spirit) Rimijbudda is a powerful Wandjina from the Wanumbul country. Gordon Barunga says: “He’s from my mother’s side – Wanumbul, Hunter River, on the sea side from Kalumburu. He’s a thief, steals shells and any sorts of things. Rimij means ‘robs’.” Rimijbudda’s exploits as a thief Read more…

Wandjina & Ungud Snakes 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. We believe that the Wandjinas brought the law, culture and language to Read more…

ILAA Painting The children (ilaa) in Mowanjum Community love to paint and come to the art centre every day after school to sit with the established artists, their families to learn their stories and culture and how to translate these into beautiful artworks.