In September, when we are looking for gum from the Blue Gum Tree, we walk through the spinifex country. We pick the gum when it is crystal colour, and we eat it, or put it into hot water to make it like a toffee. We call it sugar lolly.
After the big rain in the Hamersley Range you notice how quickly the country starts to bloom with all the beautiful wild flowers.
In the early morning as you travel through the Pilbara country, the sun glistens against the hills and the colours shine.
The early morning mist over the water is the smoke from the breakfast fires of the Marrga, the creation spirits. According to Yindjibarndi law, in the beginning the sky was very low. When the creation spirits, Marrga, arose from the ground they raised the sky and the world out of the ocean. This creation story is called Ngurru Nyujunnggama, ‘When the World was Soft’. The Marrga gave names and form to the country and then to all the birds and animals. Finally they created the Ngaardangarli, the Aboriginal people.
This story is about the Fortesuce River and during the cyclone season, we notice our country is filled with running water, this is a time when the fortesuce river is running with water and filled with good fish and the country is filled with wild flower’s and blooming in the sunset.
Our country is covered with spinifex. In the old days, our elders would grind the spinifex seeds to make flour to make into damper. The resin from the spinifex can be used to make glue. The kangaroos also find shelter among the spinifex bushes, to hide themselves from hunters.
The early morning mist over the water is the smoke from the breakfast fires of the Marrga, the creation spirits. According to Yindjibarndi law, in the beginning the sky was very low. When the creation spirits, Marrga, arose from the ground they raised the sky and the world out of the ocean. This creation story is called Ngurru Nyujunnggama, ‘When the World was Soft’. The Marrga gave names and form to the country and then to all the birds and animals. Finally they created the Ngaardangarli, the Aboriginal people.
The early morning mist over the water is the smoke from the breakfast fires of the Marrga, the creation spirits. According to Yindjibarndi law, in the beginning the sky was very low. When the creation spirits, Marrga, arose from the ground they raised the sky and the world out of the ocean. This creation story is called Ngurru Nyujunnggama, ‘When the World was Soft’. The Marrga gave names and form to the country and then to all the birds and animals. Finally they created the Ngaardangarli, the Aboriginal people.
Springtime is a beautiful blending of colours in our country. After the rain all the wild flowers come up in a pattern like a puzzle. The artist often sponges her background using colours which include red, pink, yellow’s and orange. She painted over this background with her own unique style and bright colours. As in much aborigional art, the artist has represented her country from an aerial perspective.
Millstream Lily pond is at the Millstream Homestead.The early settlers brought the water lilies with them and created a beautiful oasis with a large lily pond. This place is a significant site for the Yinjibarndi people and one they like to visit frequently.