Yinjaa-Barni Art

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After the Bush Fire Burnt Country

In the early years living out on country our ancestors walked freely from one place to another, always visiting families nearby. They knew where to go and never lost direction or place. In the season of rain and cyclones they would find shelter in the caves or build shelter from the spinifex just like a humby (baru maya). As we continue our journey there are caves that we see but never enter because of our culture and respect not to enter or go anywhere near. Once our country was so rugged hills and valleys with hidden pools lay far away. Caves were used for shelter during cyclones and big rains and still lay untouched by those who walked the land. Just left are the stories and memories that we tell our children.

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Walking on Yinjabarndi Country

These are the footprints of the men, women and children who walked our country before us. Our elders.

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Spinifex Country

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.

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Colours Through The Rocks

In Yindjibarndi country there are many different shaped rock formations. It looks like a truck has tipped a huge pile of rocks. At different times of the day, especially in the evening sunset, you will see the beautiful colours changing across the face of the rocks which compliments the soft spinifex growing through the country.

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Pilbara Wildflowers

These are the Pilbara wildflower’s that grow on the ground they have a beautiful orange colour blending in the country during flower season.

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Marni

The Pilbara is a land of many beautiful colours. Its beauty blends into the mother earth and against the red, purple hills in the distance. In time and season, the yellow Wattles, Mulla and Sturt Pea bloom and the country comes alive with the wildflowers watered by the rain and heavy dew during the night. The land and our country also tells a wonderful story about our ancestor’s. They walk and lived on the land always gathering food such as fish from the river, hunting kangaroo & tracking goanna’s and also gathering bush fruits and medicine.

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Wildflower Seeds

These are the little seeds that fall on the country after wildflower season. With the rain and some time the blooms will carpet the bush in the new year.

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Tharnahdee

Turtles are loners, especially female when it comes to hatching the young. They dig in the sand and bury the eggs for days until the come out from hiding under the sand then they roam alone to the water. Not one but many.

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Snake (Warloo)

In our country we have snakes that live in the trees and they wait for flying foxes and birds to eat.

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Our Country (The Pilbara)

The Pilbara is the country where we the Yindjibarndi people live and share many of our Cultural stories and history that have been passed onto us by our ancestors, of how they used to walk through the flat country we call the (Table Lands) visiting family members at nearby stations. Our country has so much to offer. Bush foods and medicine as well as animal like Kangaroo, Emu, Goanna and Turkey. When the rains come our rivers are full and we all love to go out and spend the day fishing. We are also close to the ocean,so we often go fishing there as well. During the holidays many of our families go bush to enjoy what the country offers the beauty of our country we see through our eyes wildflowers blooming as nature takes its course. Our country is still full of riches it always gives me joy to be a part of it we are connected to our land it is a part of who we are.