Yinjaa-Barni Art

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Our Country (The Pilbara)

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 animals such as 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 bloom as nature takes its course and 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.

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Early Morning Mist

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.

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Low Tide

These are the patterns left behind when the tide goes out.

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Pilbara Rocks and River System

These are the river systems that run through my country after a big rain. The rain brings the country to life.

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Colours of the Country

Whether it’s in the dry season or when the flower’s are blooming, the landscapes gives me joy. In the land where I live I can go and collect bush food or bush medicine. When I look at my country, yellow is when the flower’s start blooming I know it’s time for sugar lollies to come in the Blue Gum tree. Then it becomes full of wattle colours (which is yellow) that’s when I know it is September. During the rain season the colours become green and all the beauty comes out in its own natural way. New growth of all plants spring out and that’s why I love painting about the Pilbara country.

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Early Morning Mist

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.

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Fortescue Sunset

Fortescue sunset with the beautiful range of colours it creates in the sky – lilac, pink and red – is like a rainbow going down. Pilbara sunsets are just incredible and need to be experienced.

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Spinifex Country

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.

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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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Coral Reef

When the tide goes out it leaves all the weeds among the rockholes mixed with all the colourful coral from the ocean.