Artist: Manawila

Aboriginal Bark painting on ochre collected 1977.  Artist is Manawila who was born in 1933.  He has the right to paint the creatures that live among the trees and in the water along the shores of Milingimbi Island; all these creatures are his totems. His right to the ownership of these totems is established through his mother, because this is his mother’s country.   Manawila had to earn the right to paint these totems by completing certain ceremonies. Some totems are more important than others. The high totems;marian may not be seen by the uninitiated persons, the low totems;garma; may be seen by all. The actual totem representing these creatures may be made of wood, bark, or feathers, or a combination of all three.

This painting depicts the water goanna, the black sections on the left and right are the mangroves.

$140 AUD