Dadbe (the king brown snake, Pseudechis australis) is a venemous snake, like yirrbardbard (the taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus). We have two types of brown snakes in our country here. One lives in open woodland areas, while the other lives on the floodplain. Perhaps in the past people used to eat dadbe, but there are lots of snakes we don’t eat. We only eat borlokko (water pythons), manjdjurdurrk (olive pythons) and kedjebe (file snakes) these days. And perhaps maddjurn (black headed pythons). In other areas they eat barndol (carpet pythons). Lots of snakes aren’t venemous, but dadbe, yirrbardbard and bek (death adders) will kill you if they bite you.

Dadbe nawu nayin nakka mayh. Nawu yirrbardbard nabang yerrih nayin nawu kare kadjordmen nawu yirrbardbard kayimerran dadbe kakimukmen. Bokenh nawu dadbe ngarrikarrme kahdi kondah kunred. Nakudji nawu kare kore manberrk dja nabuyika nawu kare kore kabbal. Korroko djaying birringuni dadbe nawu dabborrabbolk. Nawern nawu nayin minj nawu ngarringun. Dja nawu ngarringun nakka borlokko manjdjurdurrk dja kedjebe dja ngalbu marddjurn nuk ngawakwan. Kunubewu ngalmak bu ngarringun. Dja ngalbu barndol ngalka kabirringun kore kubolkbubuyika. Nawern nayin yika djakwarre bu kanbaye minj karridowen. Dja nawu dadbe yirrbardbard dja bek nakka karridowen bu kandibaye.

Size 41 x 61 cm | Medium Paper | Catalogue # 1668-23 | Year 2023

Artist  Joe Guymala

Joe Guymala lives and works in Gunbalanya. He frequently spends time in Manmoyi, his outstation in Western Arnhemland and is the grandson of Namerredje (John) Guymala. He has toured nationally as a musican with Nabarlek Band and Mimih Band and helped to write many songs with his knowledge of traditional stories and country. Guymala’s work is often playful and documents his contemporary day to day life out bush, he also acknowledges his forefathers paintings in the rock shelters of Arnhemland as a great source of inspiration. Joe works exclusively in natural ochre’s using ‘Manyilk’ a thin grass brush to apply line after line, layer after layer to create his very powerful and unique compositions.

In January 2020, Joe Guymala went on a residency at the Kluge Ruhe Collection in Virginia and opened two exhibitions in the town.

further details

Size 41 x 61 cm
Medium  Paper
Catalogue # 1668-23
Year 2023