ART
Extensive galleries of beautiful rock art adorn Wardaman country. The rock art was mostly created in the spiritual Buwarraja when everything came to "still", the Ancestors jumped into the rocks all painted up leaving their shadows there to teach the children for all time.
Yidumduma's present day art works are deeply rooted in his rich heritage.
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Yidumduma Bill Harney: Bush Professor
Bill Harney sharing his art, history and culture connected to his spectacular national touring art retrospective exhibition 2016-18. This retrospective of his lifetime’s work showcases his intimate knowledge of the stories and history of his people, and his striking efforts to share them with the world before these oral traditions pass out of memory. The exhibition is produced by Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre GYRACC, curated by Margie West, conceived by Cath Bowdler.
Lightning Brothers: Nimji Art Site
Yidumduma teaches the meaning behind the rock art at this much visited site on Willeroo Station, Northern Territory. These two Lightning Peewee Men are closely linked to the famous Yiwarlalay Lightning Gecko Men on Delamere Station. As Bill explains, they are all working together with Rainbow Gorrondolmi to make the rain across the country
The Lightning Man Jabirringgi sings the clouds, brings the sheet lightning, heavy rain and works together with his older brother Yagjagula to make the fork lightning and brings the bushfires to clean the land and keep the rivers clean.
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Red, White & Black Ochre
Yidumduma collects the white ochre galyji, red ochre liwin, and black charcoal minyardin and teaches us the ceremonial use of the colours. White is used to paint up the men and women for the Wangga and Warranggin ceremony, black and white for the women for their Bandimi and red and white for the men for their Gujingga ceremony. The ochres and their Law teachings were left in sacred site deposits and then in rock art by the Ancestors. They are also used for trading with their neighbours.
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Yimulun: Law Painting
Watch Yidumduma paint Wardaman Customary Law into a contemporary painting at Art Mob in Hobart, Tasmania. Yidumduma began these paintings in response to the Australian Government's Intervention policy, to teach the world of the vitality and sophistication of traditional law. These paintings now hang in the Law Dept, University of Sydney, and Bond University on the Gold Coast.
Bill's Art Talk: University of Sydney
Wardaman Elder Bill "Yidumduma" Harney explains two of his paintings.
Bill Harney is talking about the cultural, spiritual and ecological facets that are contained in his masterpieces at the Centre for Carbon, Water and Food (University of Sydney, 2013).
His art is recognised well beyond the Katherine Region of northern Australia and this video demonstrates once more the depth and richness of Bill's connection to the land of the Lightning Brothers". Used with permission of Sebastian Pfautsch.
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Paintings Talking Story
Yidumduma discusses two of his paintings on CEM Productions Global Spirit, Bar Shouldered Pigeon Dreaming Godjogodjog and Sugarbag Dreaming, Goyin.
Whitefella Contact & Rock Art
Yidumduma using full language to tell stories of the first contact with the European settlers and the corresponding rock art at Murning Site on Willeroo Station. This is a great example of the more recent paintings called bulawula, made by the people to commemorate certain events in their recent history. This clip is from the archive of CAAMA, Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, and used with their permission. www.caama.com.au/productions
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