Gulmirri (Central western NSW men’s broad shield)

Andrew Snelgar is widely recognised for his intricate, sculpted, and carved wooden objects. Gulmirri (Central western NSW men’s broad shield) 2021 references historical broad shields with their elegant, tapered ends which are connected to the south-east of Australia and often cloaked in an array of designs. These iconic designs empower the shield bearer by representing country and identifying both regional and clan affiliations. Shields used in performance would often be painted with natural pigments, remnants of which can still be seen on many today.

Snelgar refers quite directly to this history and his cultural inheritance as a Ngempa man, creating refined shields that evidence ongoing cultural practices and highlight the cultural resurgence currently occurring. Snelgar has provided the language name and details for the story that is attached to the design on this work as Mayingku mayi ga – booka ga yungo (a story about a man who died and became the mountain).