Nanyin Maymuru
(Australia circa 1914–1969)
- Language group
- Manggalili, Arnhem region
- Title
- Sacred dance ground of the Mungalili (Manggalilji) group
- Place of origin
-
North-east Arnhem Land →
Northern Territory →
Australia
- Year
- circa 1960
- Media category
- Bark painting
- Materials used
- natural pigments on bark
- Dimensions
-
130.3 x 53.3cm
- Credit
- Gift of Dr Stuart Scougall 1960
- Accession number
- IA38.1960
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
Artist/origin: Mungalili (Manggalilji) group, Brailung (Burilung?) clan, jiridja moiety, mainland near Groote Eylandt, Yirrkala, Arnhem Land
Six men came across the sea in two canoes, catching a great number of fish. On arriving at land they cooked and ate the fish and then declared the area should be a sacred dance ground of the group. Two huts on either side were made to house men to guard the sacred place. Four scrub turkeys and four cormorants, types of birds which often visit the site, are shown. In the lower section is a ceremony taking place.
The painting also tells the story of Bamapana, the legendary trickster hero who commited asocial acts. In this case, he has killed a girl, his gurrong, and hung her up in a tree (shown lower right).
- Bibliography (2)
-
Kasper König (Germany) (Author), Emily Joyce Evans (Germany) (Author), Falk Wolf (Germany) (Author), Remembering forward: Australian Aboriginal painting since 1960, Cologne, 2010, 110 (colour illus.). cat.no. 50
Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), Steven Miller (Australia) (Author), Tony Tuckson (Egypt; England; Australia, b.1921, d.1973) (Author), James Scougall (Australia) (Author), Mollie Gowing (Australia, d.2009) (Author), Harry Messel (Author), Craig Brush (Author), Ronald Fine (Australia) (Author), Alison Fine (Australia) (Author), Gordon Davies (Australia) (Author), Rosalind Davies (Author), Christopher Hodges (Australia, b.1954) (Author), Helen Eager (Australia, b.1952) (Author), Rosemary Gow (Australia) (Author), Sandra Phillips (Author), Daphne Wallace (Australia, b.1964) (Author), Ken Watson (Australia) (Author), Gamarada, Sydney, 1996, 36 (colour illus.).
- Exhibition history (2)
-
Purchases and Acquisitions for 1960, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 22 Mar 1961–23 Apr 1961.
Remembering Forward: An Exhibition of Major Australian Indigenous Artists, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, 20 Nov 2010–20 Mar 2011.
