Valley of the Giants GALLERY

Indigenous Art by Galliwinku community on Elcho Island

No. 61 to 90

Natural ochre acrylic paints in four base colours used on stretched canvas referred to by the Yolngu people as ‘white man's bark’. Prior, these images have been painted on the body or on bark for traditional cultural ceremonies. more information

Fresh-Water-Hole-No.61

No. 61
Artist: Tony Buwang Buwang
Clan: Garrawurra
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Galiwinku
Born Elcho Island 14/8/1956

Title: FRESH WATERHOLES
Size: 1220 x 1220cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Waterholes and streams make a strong design. The vertical and horizontal lines indicate fresh water flowing from one waterhole to the next. The four white circles are the waterholes, where the goanna and birds like the magpie geese (Gurrumatji) the (Natili) and the black cockatoo come to drink, the other four birds in the painting are the (Guwudalpudal) which is the salt waterbird. The Yolgnu name for the goanna is (Djanda). All Yolgnu name for the goanna is (Djanda). All Yolgnu people stories and totems within this painting are sacred.

Sisters-Harvesting-No.62

No. 62
Artist: Charlie Madjuwi Senior Mala Leader
Clan: Barrarrwana
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata
Born: 1934 - 2017

Title: SISTERS HARVESTING
Size: 1220 x 1220cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Painting from his mother's Moity. The story of the ladies Djang-Kawy sisters harvesting the wild fruit called ‘Gutjagutja’ with their two dogs. The time of the season is a few weeks before the end of the wet season when most of the fruit is ready for harvest. As they go about collecting the fruit they sing to the jungle fowl who also feed on the wild fruit and also to the rainbow serpent that looks after this area.

The horizontal lines through the middle of the painting divides into two parts. Top half the cross-hatching of line indicates the area of their homeland on Elcho Island. The bottom half the cross-hatching being much stronger, signifying where the dance ceremony takes place for harvesting the wild fruit.

The-Wild-Fruit-Tree-No.63

No. 63
Artist: Charlie Madjuwi Senior Mala Leader
Clan: Barrarrwana
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata
Born: 1934 - 2017

Title: THE WILD FRUIT TREE
Size: 71 x 1680cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Story from his mother's Moiety.
The painting story takes place in the wet season. The tree is the wild fruit tree called ‘Gutjagutja’ nesting in the foliage is the jungle fowl. The nests are clearly defined by white dots with the jungle fowl perched on each limb.

The bottom half of the painting where all the lines seem to converge is where the dance ceremony takes place for the harvesting of the wild fruit associated with the mythology of the Djang-Kawu sisters.

Pathons-Live-In-Fresh-Water-Billabong-No.66

No. 66
Artist: Judy Manay
Clan: Galpu
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Napina
Born: Yirrikala

Title: PYTHON LIVE IN FRESH WATER BILLABONG
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

These Pythons live in a freshwater hole, the big snakes are female. They are minding the eggs where the waterlily grows, the people go hunting for freshwater snake (Python) in the billabong. The people cook and then eat them for food.

Fish-Hunting-Trap-No.67

No. 67
Artist: Judy Manay
Clan: Galpu
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Napina
Born: Yirrikala

Title: FISH HUNTING TRAP
Size: 76 x 153cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

The snake around the waterlily are called python. The lines represent the freshwater billabong. The shape in the middle of the painting is a fish trap, the Yolgnu people go hunting with this to catch fish.

The snakes painted here are python around and beneath the waterlilies. The background lines or white red, yellow ochre indicate freshwater of the billabong.

The fish trap has a large catch of fish.

Totems-Beneath-The-Sea No.68

No.68
Artist: Jeffrey Dhupiditj
Clan: Gapapuygu Or Grawirritja
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Yandhala
Born: Millimgimbi

Title: TOTEMS BENEATH THE SEA
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Story by Micky Daypurrun ( I )

This painting gives us a close-up picture of his mother’s totems beneath the sea. Mud crabs, fish, snakes and stingray all painted over a dull red ochre background. The star patterns the jelly fish that are fluorescent in the dark water, along with these, coral and seaweed.

Twelve-Linked-Waterholes-No.69

No.69
Artist: Lauri
Clan: Garrawurra
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Galawinku

Title: TWELVE LINKED WATERHOLES
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Primed stretched canvas/acrylic traditional colours painted 1990 first time on canvas always used bark prior.

This painting is of twelve linked water holes, the design associated with the mythology of the ‘Djang-Kuwa sisers.

In the top panel a goanna having a drink at one of the freshwater holes.

Within this sacred place indicated by linked water holes we find many of the ‘Garrawurra’ clan totems. Starting from the left, the freshwater brim and water buffalo footprints, and caterpillars. Many of these totems are indicated in most of these panels to the right including the flattened zamia palm which brings us to the bottom rectangle panel, which is outside the sacred area, central panel of painting. The footprints of a Yongul person walking to his sacred water hole on the same path taken by a water buffalo which has trodden down the Zamia palms on its way to the same waterhole.

Burial-Pole-No.71

No. 71
Artist: Frank Djejula
Clan: Marrkula
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Lake Evella

Title: BURIAL POLE
Size: 71 x 153cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Yirritja Moiety signifying his family burial pole, log coffin to store the bones, ‘Ngawugu-Laragidj’, near Lake Evella.

The painting is in four panels from the top panel.
Panel one: two diver ducks or ‘cormorant’ facing inward, in the middle three catfish.
Panel two: six objects representing diver ducks, looking down on them from the top
Panel three: this design encompasses the concept of the honey spirit who activates the entire creation process and sometimes is painted onto the chest of Yolgnu people in ceremony and at death ceremony (business).
Panel four: this represents a fresh water lagoon near lake Evella, beneath the water swim the catfish.

Fish-Food-No.72

No. 72
Artist: (Wife Megan) Mickey Daypurryun (Ii)
Clan: Bukuljpi
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Ghambaliya
Born: Galiwinku

Title: FISH FOOD
Size: 76 x 153cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Story told By Micky Daypurryun

This painting tells about the four fish looking for some food, that they could find the seaweed shows. Not only is it food for the fish but also for the Madi, which is the octopus.

Ceremony-Minytji-Design-No.73

No. 73
Artist: Steven Bunbatjun
Clan: Garrawurra
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Galiwinku
Born: Milingimbi

Title: CEREMONY MINYTJI DESIGN
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Steven’s painting and story is sacred showing the area indicated by triangle shapes in yellow ochre, and others in fine lines. The circles are sacred waterholes, some painted in yellow ochre (these are dirty or mixed water). The light waterholes indicate clean water.

The main large line vertical and horizontal are main streams, the small line in red ochre making the triangles are creek’s (smaller streams). This is a ceremonial Miny’tji design for Liyagawmirri people depicting sacred waterhole on Elcho Island.

Where the Goannas are made up the land area, the sea area indicated with moon fish (Gula) bottom of painting, up to mud skippers and the black shells making a star pattern found around the mango tree.

The middle of the painting shows a waterhole, which is called Milmuyarrk. The goanna shows that it lives where the sharp leaves grow. The long fishes are called Wanduma, the flat fish are called Guppila, and on top of the painting shows the Longbum shells, called Nuda, the round with the strip on them they are called Ragutha. Nagudha is a kneecap shell, shellfish and large edible cockle.

Knee-Cap-Shell-No.74

No. 74
Artist: Jeffrey Dhupiditj
Clan: Gapapuygu or Grawirritja
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Yandhala
Born: Millimgimbi

Title: KNEECAP SHELL
Size: 76 x 122 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Story by Mickey Daypurrun ( I )

This painting is his mothers story

This painting shows the inside of the mangrove. The goanna and the Longbum shell and also the waterhole indicated by the dots. The sand the small circle are Nerita shells and the circle with the line is another shell which is called kneecap shell the Yolgnu like to eat these shell fish.

Floats-On-Top-Of-Water-During-Dry-Season-No.75

No. 75
Artist: Mutilya
Clan: Gumatj
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata

Title: FLOATS ON TOP OF THE WATER DURING DRY SEASON
Size: 76 x 153 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

The middle picture with the diamond shapes is the brownish grey stuff that floats on top of the water during dry season. It comes in and out with the tide, and it smells like the fresh coral.

It is called Munumbili and on both sides of the picture are the Eastern Sea Herons (Ganytjurr) and the fish that the birds feed.

A-Place-Called-Narwi-No.76

No. 76
Artist Muwarra
Clan: Didiwery
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Rurruwuy
Born: age approx. 60 years

Title: A PLACE CALLED NARWI
Size: 98 x 283 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This story is about a place called Narwi, about Djanda, the lizard/goanna, there are four of them. There are two waterholes, the goannas went and saw the first waterhole, when they nearly got there, they heard the ripples from the other waterhole and turned around as it is shown on the middle picture. They went back to the waterhole to your right and stayed there, and from now on that place Narwi, where those incidents happened is sacred.

Narwi: is written with a hook on the bottom of the N is that it is often mistaken for A Y when interpreted by European (Balana).

A European person is referred to as Balana by the Yolgnu community (Yolgni = aboriginal for people from North East Arnhemland Australia.

Stay-At-The-Freshwater-Lagoons No.77

No. 77
Artist: Mutilya
Clan: Gumatj
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata

Title: STAY AT THE FRESHWATER LAGOON
Size: 92 x 183 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This picture is based from a place called (Garrimala), the snakes were people before, like the Gaplu clans and Djarrwark. They, the pythons went to stay at a place called Badaymi, the painting to your right with the snakes around it. Then after staying there for a few days they left for a place called the same places owned by Galpu and Djarrwark. From that crowd a person by the name of Wetitj, told the others to stay at the freshwater lagoons around Garrimala and Nhumurba, and he went to stay at the island at Winirri.

Caterpillars-Pattern-No.78

No. 78
Artist: Linda Namilyal
Clan: Durrurrna
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Ramangining

Title: CATERPILLARS PATTERN
Size: 70 x 143 cm
Bark / Acrylic / Traditional

Ochre on bark, showing the pattern made up of many caterpillars which is their totem. They are called Dawurrmunuk common name Dhapaliny.

The line of yellow ochre and white indicating the pathway of the caterpillars in towards the centre circle, which is a sacred waterhole.

Traveling-From-Tree-To-Tree-No,79

No.79
Artist: Linda Namilyal
Clan: Durrurrna
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Ramangining

Title: TRAVELING FROM TREE TO TREE
Size: 49 x 100 cm
Bark / Acrylic / Traditional

Ochre on bark, showing the pattern made up of many caterpillars. The four bands of yellow ochre and white show the pathway were the caterpillars called ‘Duwurrmunuk’ travel from tree to tree. The caterpillar is their tribal totem.

Many-Caterpillars-No.80

No. 80
Artist: Linda Namilyal
Clan: Durrurrna
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Ramangining

Title: MANY CATERPILLARS
Size: 41 x 92 cm
Bark / Acrylic / Traditional

Ochre on bark. The pattern made up of many caterpillars called ‘Dawurrmunuk’ which is their tribal totem. Common name is ‘Dhapaliny’ the white and yellow ochre lines top and bottom of this painting indicates the pathway of the caterpillar.

Osters-Around-A-Waterhole No.81

No. 81
Artist: Linda Namilyal
Clan: Durrurrna
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Ramangining

Title: OYSTERS AROUND A WATERHOLE
Size: 64 x 94 cm
Bark/ Acrylic / Traditional

This panting tells us with the use of oysters down each side of the bark painting (Wayawaka) about all the clan’s information. The oysters (Wayawaka) also clustered together around a waterhole.

The six great sacred stones called Wititj is where the snake is in the form of stone. The area where the snake lives is called “Guruwana”.

The long stick shapes top and bottom, coloured in bands of red, white and yellow ochre have fine lines spraying outward from the top towards the centre of the painting, they indicate the coconut palm fronds which are not native to Australia. Along the Northern Territory coastline coconut palms are found in abundance, obviously washed up on the shore others introduced and encouraged by man.

This painting tells us with the use of oysters down each side of the Bark painting (Wayawaka) about all the clans in formation. The oysters (Wayawaka) also clustered together around a waterhole.

The six great sacred stones called Wititj is where the snake is in the form of stone. The area where the snake lives is called Guruwana.

The long stick shapes top and bottom, coloured in bands of red, white and yellow ochre have fine lines spraying outward from the top towards the centre of the painting. They indicate the coconut palm fronds which are not native to Australia. Along the Northern Territory coastline coconut palms are found in abundance. Obviously washed up on the shore others introduced and encouraged by man.

Significant-Linked-Water-No.82

No. 82
Artist: Len Wedui
Clan: Garrawurra
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Dhayiri

Title: SIGNIFICANT LINKED WATER HOLES
Size: 92 x 183 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting a design associated with the mythology of the ‘Djang-Kawu Sisters, ancestors of the Dhuwa Moiety showing us the significant linked waterholes.

The totems in this painting the top two panels: the parrot with red under body.

Panel three and four: four goannas drinking at a fresh waterhole.

Panel five and six: these four birds are the magpie geese. The black lines making up the triangle shape are the smaller branch streams off the main fresh water stream.

Fish-Near-Her-Home-No.82A

No. 82a
Artist: Linda Namilyal
Clan: Durrurrna
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Ramanging

Title: FISH NEAR HER HOME.
Size: 56 x 122cm
Bark / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting on bark in ochre tells us of the fish near Linda's home at Ramingining.
Top left hand corner is the fresh water salmon, similar to Barramundi, with three catfish.
Swimming horizontally again is the salmon, mainly found in large schools close to shallow water.
Below are four catfish facing downward.

The-Shark-No.83

No. 83
Artist: Mary Marrnyula
Clan: Djapu
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Wandawuy born: Yirrikala

Title: THE SHARK
Size: 1220 x 1220cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting is in two parts. First the left hand side depicts Mary’s own Dhuwa Moiety showing the shark and its habitat. The red dot signifying the shark home underwater (Nambatnu) the area where the shark lives is called “Waneawuy” all the fine cross-hatching ‘raarrk’ in bands of colour running down the painting, indicate the mixing of fresh and salt water. As is found up the many creeks. Also associated with the ancestral Djang-Kawu sisters, the design represents part of a series of linked waterholes where the lines cross.

The second half: the shark facing downward, is her father's Moiety ‘Yirritja’ significant by the variation of what would by the diamond pattern that marks the path of the ancestral fire that swept across Yirritja Moiety lands in the dreaming.

Baru-On-The-Ashes-Of-A-Fire No.84

No. 84
Artist: Dhopiya
Clan: Munyarran
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Yirikala
Born: Yirrikala

Title: BARU ON THE ASHES OF A FIRE
Size: 61 x 92 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting shows that this crocodile is standing on the ashes of a fire, which is the nest. The yellow diamond represents the fire. This crocodile is carrying a fire on his back and on his nose too. On the bottom of the painting are the fish which are called Napanapa,

Matamata-Land-No.85

No. 85
Artist: Johny Barrmula
Clan: Gumatj
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata
Born: 1931

Title: MATAMATA LAND
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Painting from his father's dreaming. Predominately his clan designs the diamond patter associated with different areas of “Matamata” land. The diamond pattern marks the path of the ancestral fire that swept across Yirritja Moiety lands in the dreaming. The fire associated with Baru, the Crocodile.
The black diamond is the dead fire, red is the hot coals, yellow the burning fire. Going across the painting the vertical red ochre strips are four digging sticks called ‘Ganiny. The three white ochre horizontal lines indicate freshwater streams flowing through his father's sacred area.

Path-Of-The-Ancestral-Fire-No.86

No. 86
Artist: Johny Barrmula
Clan: Gumatj
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Matamata
Born: 1931

Title: THE PATH OF THE ANCESTRAL FIRE
Size: 84 x 1220cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting from his Father's dreaming, predominately his clan design, the diamond patterns associated with different area of ‘Matamata 'land. The diamond pattern marks the path of the ancestral fire that swept across Yirritja Moiety lands in the dreaming, the fire associated with ‘Baru’ the crocodile.

Down-To-The-River-To-Drink-No.87

No. 87
Artist: Muwarra
Clan: Didiwery
Moiety: Dhuwa
Homeland: Rurruwuy
Born: Approx 1930

Title: DOWN TO RIVER TO DRINK
Size: 1220 x 1220 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

Njarwi, this story is of Njarwiwuy, as you can see on the picture the line in the middle is a river, the goannas are still called the Djanda. This place is and has been accompanied by Djanda and the (Wandhuma) that is the name of the fish, they are also called catfish.

These six goannas have come down to the river to drink from it, then they went inland back to their waterholes.

Huge-Shark-No.88

No. 88
Artist: Daymanja ( I )
Clan: Warramiri
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Dhulji
Born: Galiwinku

Title: A HUGE SHARK
Size: 1220 x 1220cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional
Story by by Gulipaway (1)

This painting represents a huge shark. It has been speared by a spiritual person, and when it swam ashore, the two spears show. The teeth of the shark also can be seen because this shark is still alive its mouth open. When the shark is speared it gets angry and dangerous.

Tailed-Catfish-Story-No.89.

No. 89
Artist: Djekula Bobopani
Clan: Birrkili
Moiety: Yirritja
Homeland: Burrum
Born: Lake Evella

Title: TAILED CATFISH STORY
Size: 92 x 122 cm
Canvas / Acrylic / Traditional

This painting shows about the fish which is a special kind of fish and is called tailed catfish. It has a poisonous fin. The shark has this flat long nose like a knife. The birds live in fresh water and is like a heron bird. The long hollow tree and the two rocks are their home. The white line shows it is fresh water. The fish and the bird will go into the hollow log because that is their home.