Description
This is a Dhuwa painting from Gärriyak, south of Galiwin’ku, a place belonging to the artists clan, Garrawurra Ḻiyagawumirr. It’s a märi-guthara painting that shows two miny’tji (designs) together from two Ḻiyagawumirr clans, Gurrawarra and Ḏurrurrŋa, that have a close relationship.
In the middle you can see the Ḏurrurrŋa oyster design. You can see the ṉirriwan (oysters) represented by the semi-circular forms. The rarrk (cross-hatching) on the top and bottom shows the fresh water and salt water mixing.
On either side of the ṉirriwan (oysters) you can see a Garrawurra design showing the milminydjarrk (sacred water holes). This is associated with the ancestral Djaŋ’kawu Sisters, who changed their language, names, clan, ceremony and customs wherever they stopped, giving these things to people at each place. They also made gapu milminydjarrk or milŋurr (water holes) by poking their dhoṉa (digging sticks) into the ground. Some of these waters are sacred but some are alright to drink from. They also gave miku (red), watharr (white) and buthalak (yellow) ochre colours to paint with, the colours used in this painting.
When a Gurrawarra Ḻiyagawumirr or Ḏurrurrŋa Ḻiyagawumirr person pass away, the manikay (ceremonial song) for this painting can be sung at funerals.
Story by Lawrence Garrawurra, with additional notes added, July 2024.
