In the dry season, especially around the Kunwinjku season of Kurrung (the hot dry months around August and September), many makkakurr (pelicans) fly into Gunbalanya from the ocean, following the country they know so well. They congregate around the billabong, standing around the sandy banks or diving down to catch fish in the water. They can be seen hunting as a team, encircling an area and driving the fish into the middle to be caught. In the past, people used to hunt pelican, but this is not done any more. The old people would herd them into enclosed areas, like the base of Mandjaworlbidji (the “Big Waterfall” in Gunbalanya) and kill them with sticks. They would then cook them in ground ovens.
In 1916 Paddy Cahill (the founder of the Oenpelli cattle station) documented hundreds of pelicans “stealing” all the fish from the billabong during the dry season.

Ngalbu makkakkurr ngalka ngalkimuk mayhmayh ngalbu ngalengman kadjalngun djenj. Makkakkurr kamdolkkan kamre kurrulabeh bu djarreh bu ngalengman kabolkrohrokme yiman karrinan bu Kurrung wanjh birriwern karrbennan kondah kore manlabbarlkimuk, kabirrini kore kukadjid yika kabirrikolung kore kukku kabirribun djenj kabirringun.Mayh yerrih bu ngarringun bu korrokoni dja bolkkime nuk larrk. Dabborrabbolk birrirey birridabkeyi kore kurrubbe yiman kayime Mandjaworlbidji ( Big Waterfall ) wanjh birribuni kundulk birrimangi birrikerribuni wanjh birringuni.Dja bolkkime larrk minj karribun ngalbu makkakkurr.

Size 41 x 61 cm | Medium Paper | Catalogue # 291-22 | Year 2022

Artist  Graham Badari

Graham Badari’s country is Maburrinj, in the rocky escarpment country about 120 kilometres east of Gunbalanya. He draws artistic inspiration from this environment and also paints the Dreamings of his Mother Country, Djurlka, where he spent time as a young man near the outstation of Marmardawerre. He was raised by the renowned artist Djawida Nadjongorle, but like many of the artists at Gunbalanya credits the late Thompson Yulidjirri as his greatest artistic influence. From these senior men, Badari learnt the fluid and dynamic figurative style that defines Kunwinjku painting at Injalak Arts. He began painting sporadically around 1990, but has since become part of a group of dedicated and innovative artists at Gunbalanya. His paintings show the influence of the visual language of their rock-art heritage, while remaining committed to artistic innovation. It is this beguiling balance of tensions, innovation and tradition, ancient and modern, beauty and terror, that energises Badari’s paintings.

further details

Size 41 x 61 cm
Medium  Paper
Catalogue # 291-22
Year 2022