Lot 102

Work in very good condition. Bark is stable with no splits. Very light surface abrasions can be seen around the outer area of the margin (in black pigment).


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Yirrkala Arts and Crafts, Adelaide c.1980
Private collection, Melbourne

The Story of this painting is concerned with a special part of the area near Yathikba (Ethika), near Blue Mud Bay (Eastern Coast of Arhnem Land, NT). This place is marked by two rocks in the centre of the painting. At the bottom of the sea in this area there is a fire burning (Walwaluna) This fire was placed there by the saltwater crocodile (Gadugado). The sea today still boils at this spot.
This painting shows two men hunting dugong with a harpoon and paddles. The diamond pattern in the painting is special to the Yirritja moiety. Yirritja ancestors have passed down unique patterns to identify their clans. The pattern here used can be identified as belonging to the Madarrpa people by the elongated tail at the end of each row of diamonds the red and yellow represents fire and flames and black and white represent ashes. The central panel contains barramundi and sea grass which the dugong eats. Sea grass is also used to make armbands worn in ceremonies.