Sandra Mungulu Australian, Worrorra, b. 1961
Namarali, Dumbi, Ungud, Coi Coi, Jaiya, Wali & Longneck Turtle., 2021
acrylic on canvas
60 x 60 cm
21-0218
Namarali is the great Wandjina that belongs to the Wororra tribe. Namarali represents the top, middle and bottom Wororra tribes up the North West Kimberley on the coast. His Laws,...
Namarali is the great Wandjina that belongs to the Wororra tribe. Namarali represents the top, middle and bottom Wororra tribes up the North West Kimberley on the coast. His Laws, Culture and Language starts from Oobagooma and goes north towards Prince Region this is where the Wororra boundary ends. Namarali is the most prominent and important Wandjina for the Worora people. He created many laws for the Worora people which relate specifically to funeral customs. Namarali was speared in a Wandjina war at Langii north of Doubtful Bay. The painting of Namarali lies five kilometers inland from Langii in a cave. The artist Dumbi is an owl which resides in Ngarinyin country. Two boys teased Dumbi after they found his tree knocked over by the wind. Dumbi could not fly away because he was Mayanki oni (cold) and the Wilmi (dew) was sticking his feathers together. The boys plucked out his feathers and threw him in the air three times. Dumbi flew to the Wandjina named Wonarlirri who said he would create a large Ngarlu mindi (flood) to punish the tribe where the boys came from. At a place called Djunbai mindi, the Wandjina gathered a large flock of Karroongkarli / Kurranda Nyindi (brolgas) who stomped on a huge Nyalgoorro (black soil plain) to create quicksand. The Ngarlu Mindi came and drowned many people and those who tried to escape were lost in the quicksand. The boys were safe because they were on high ground. They were taken there by Mangarra Djirri (Ungud kangaroo) and they traveled on the kangaroo's tail. Margurrigurri (tata lizard) warned the Wandjina that the boys had escaped. The rain and lightning started to chase the boys and they ran to a hollowed out Latcurry (boab tree). Once they were in the tree, the Wandjina closed it up and they were lost forever. In another version of the story the children are a boy and girl who survive the flood and mate to produce a new tribe. Woolagoodja is responsible for the care of this painting. The Ungud snake is the one that made the rivers and holds water. If they are disturbed then they will kill whoever disturbs them.
The words Coi Coi are Wororra for saltwater crocodile. In this painting the artist has demonstrated the between the Wandjina and the Saltwater crocodile. "These Woolamarra (long neck turtles) are having a rough time because their waterhole has dried up. The
Woolamarra have sung out to the Wandjina to help them find a new waterhole. Two Wandjinas, Datbudder and Djangunardi, have
come to show the turtles how to get to the new waterhole.
Wandjina is the creator for all the food on the land and in the sea.
He's the one who give us fish (Jaiya).
The words Coi Coi are Wororra for saltwater crocodile. In this painting the artist has demonstrated the between the Wandjina and the Saltwater crocodile. "These Woolamarra (long neck turtles) are having a rough time because their waterhole has dried up. The
Woolamarra have sung out to the Wandjina to help them find a new waterhole. Two Wandjinas, Datbudder and Djangunardi, have
come to show the turtles how to get to the new waterhole.
Wandjina is the creator for all the food on the land and in the sea.
He's the one who give us fish (Jaiya).