Anindilyakwa Art
Alfred Lalara
Alfred was born and grew up at Angurugu. He learnt stories from his father and these are passed down into his paintings that you see today. Alfred is a talented contemporary and traditional Groote Eylandt artist. He is one of few who paint traditional Groote Eylandt line work. Alfred was trained as a canvas painter and is one of many fine artists in his Lalara family.
Donald Blitner (Yawulingarra)
Donald uses traditional wood carving techniques and painting techniques taught to him by his father. this sting ray image is fantastic. really enfoy the colour and line.
his use of stars in the paintings which i havent seen much of in aboriginal art really brings another meaning into his works.
Julie Mununggurr
Les Huddleston
Les' work feels a bit more free, the brush marks flow well.the background to his pieces are very simple red sploches which really brings the figure into the foreground. very simple and affective.
here is a story about the creation of Mornington Island
The Creation of Mornington Island
The first men and woman to come to Australia were Marnbil, Djin-djin and Dewallewal. Djin-djin was married to Marnbil and Dewallewal was Djin-djin’s uncle. Marnbil and Dewallewal did not speak to each other because Dewallewal called Marnbil son-in-law. That is aboriginal law. So they had to speak to each other through Djin-djin. These three people made a raft out of logs and sailed around Australia, making the land, creating all the rivers, hills, animals, trees, wells and making fish traps. They gave each animal a sacred place and name and made ceremonies for them, so that they could be protected.
When they came to the land which is now Mornington Island (it was not separated then) they dug a well and stayed there resting for one month, until a certain kind of fish called dulnhu came along the shores. After a month Marnbil called to his wife and said ,”Tell your uncle to go that way around, naming rivers and trees and animals and we will go the other way. Marnbil and Djin-djin set out and made fish traps to catch turtles and dugong and Djin-djin was picking up food like shell fish and oysters. When they arrived at the end of the land, Marnbil told his wife to wait for him there because he had to go and do one more bit of work. After a while Dewallewal, who went up the windward side, had finished his work and arrived at the end of the land where he saw Djin-djin sitting cooking some food.
Where’s your husband? He asked Djin-djin.
“He’s gone on a long journey” she replied.
Now Dewallewal did not have a wife of his own so he decided to steal Djin-djin, thinking that Marnbil wouldn’t know. But when Marnbil came back he started talking from a long way off. Marnbil knew that Dewallewal had broken the law and he knew that Dewallewal had stolen Djin-djin, so he had to kill him. Tell your uncle to dig a well for me, I’m thirsty after a long journey. So Djin-djin told her uncle and when Dewallewal got water, Marnbil said for Dewallewal to drink first. Marnbil wounded Dewallewal with a spear in his backside. Dewallewal first circled around the well in pain then shot straight up into the sky still with the spear stuck in his back and singing a curse.
You will die of stone
You will die of bone
You will die of spear
You will die of eating hot food…..
He caused man to die from all things, before that, man had been immortal. But Dewallewal’s curse meant that they would die. Marnbil and Djin-djin were frightened and ran away into the scrub, but then it began to rain and rain. The lands began to break up and open and salt water rushed in. That was how Mornington Island was formed and Marnbil and Djin-djin had nowhere to run. Their feet got stuck in a rock and their bodies got stuck too. You can still see them changed into rocks, at low tide, but no one should go to that place because it is sacred.
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