Bininj (Aboriginal people) sometimes use ‘duruk’ (dogs) to help them hunt. Dogs can be used to find ngarrbek (echidna) and big lizards such as kalawan (goanna) and kurndamen (frill-necked lizards) and flush them out of their burrows. Dogs are also sometimes used to hunt buffalo by chasing them towards bininj, who kill them using spears or guns.

The old people used dogs to smell kalawan and chase them up trees so they were easy to catch. They used long poles with a loop of bush string on the end, made with marrabbi (sand palm), to hook around the lizards neck and twist until it was tight. Then the lizard could be lifted down from the highest branches. These days kalawan are not easy to find because the cane toad came and poisoned them.

In this painting Graham has playfully used two of Injalak’s resident ‘arts centre dogs’, Mr Blue and Whiskey, as models for the hunting dogs.

Size 41 x 61 cm | Medium Paper | Catalogue # 2203-22 | Year 2022

Artist  Larry Bangarr

COUNTRY: Kurrukurr and Kumarrirnbang

SUBJECTS AND THEMES: Kedjebe – File snake, Namarnkol – Barramundi, Birndu – Ibis, Dunbuhmanj – black bream , Kalawan -goanna, Mimi figures, Yawk Yawk – water mermaid, Ngalyod – rainbow serpent, Namarrdakka – Nailfish, Echidna, Goanna & eggs, Borndok – Spear thrower, Jabiru, Blue tongue lizard, Manimunuk – Magpie goose.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS: April 1998, “Dreamings” Spazio Pitti Arte, Florence, Italy

further details

Size 41 x 61 cm
Medium  Paper
Catalogue # 2203-22
Year 2022