ABORIGINAL SCHOOL (founded 1700)

Description / Expertise

As distinct from the Wawilak, the Djunkgawul were the creators. They created waterholes, flora and fauna.

This group consisted of Djanggawul and his two sisters Madalaig and Bitjiwurrurru. In the “Time before the Morning”, the Djanggawul came in a cane from “behind the sunrise”, and landed at Jalangbara (Port Bradshaw). With them they brought the sacred Rangga with which they “made” the country.

The sisters gave birth to many offspring. They would arrive at a place with sweet water and plenty of bush tucker and give birth to 20 babies. At another place 100 might be born.
When they found a good place they would put their mats down and covered themselves, symbolising the building of a shade in which they gave birth. They placed the female children under a ngainmara mat for protection so they would have smooth skin when they grew up. The painting represents a birthing at a dreaming site named Darrawuy. Four birth mats are shown together with symbols showing the hills around Darrawug.