Kulabbarl is what we Bininj (Aboriginal people) call a billabong, where the flow of a river is blocked and builds up in the rain. Lots of fish are concentrated there, especially when the water starts to recede in the dry season. In small billabongs, we catch things like burd (freshwater bream), marrngunj (small eel-tailed catfish) wakih (freshwater shrimp), kedjebe (file snakes) and ngalmangiyi (long-necked turtle). And in big billabongs, we go and get fish like namarnkol (barramundi), kuluybirr (saratoga) and manmakkawarri (catfish). Sometimes we see kinga (saltwater crocodiles) or kumoken (freshwater crocodiles). There are manimunak (magpie geese), djilikuybi (whistling ducks) and lots of other birds which we eat at billabongs.

Manbu kulabbarl ngarriyime bu kudjewk mandjewk nawern kadjakdung wanjh kabore kore mankabo. Wanjh bu kabongurdme kabodadjme wanjh kamarnbun manlabbarl. Kumekke djenj kadjaldi kore kulabbarl. Kulabbarl karri djenj yiman burd marrngunj wakih kedjebe ngalmangiyi kore kulabbarlyahwurd. Dja kore kulabbarlkimuk ngarrire ngarrimang namarnkol kuluybirr manmakkawarri yika ngarrinan kinga kayo kore kulabbarl. Dja kani manimunak djilikuybi dja nawern nawu mayhmayh kani kore kulabbarl.

Size 31 x 102 cm | Medium Paper | Catalogue # 626-22 | Year 2022

Artist  Roland Burrunali

Roland Burrunali is the son of Marlene and Isaiah Burrunali. Roland is the Djungkayi (ritual manager) for Namorrordo, the devil-like spirit man.

As well as being a gifted artist, Roland guides tours of Injalak Hill and shares his extensive knowledge of the rock art with tourists from all around Australia and the world. He is also a member of the Injalak Arts Management Committee.

In July 2016 Roland represented Injalak Arts at the Wearables exhibition at the Festival del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba. In 2017 he was selected as a finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA).

further details

Size 31 x 102 cm
Medium  Paper
Catalogue # 626-22
Year 2022