Dhäbila - fresh waterhole and banyan tree

Dhabila, a tract of land on the mouth of the Glyde River, is integral to the Wagilag Sisters’ story. Because of it rich fish resource, it is vulnerable to outside exploitation. Malangi’s painting shows one of the waterholes (indicated by the flag like design) created by the sisters.

This waterhole is another part of the Djang’kawu Sisters' story. When they travelled here from Dhamala they made a waterhole with their digging sticks. The same two Djang’kawu women.

They were naming the places, the people and the languages until they reached this land. They created this waterhole from the point of their digging sticks. They named this place Gilimgarri. They went from here to the beach at Malwiningirr; they named that place. They left everything behind except the two sticks. They then travelled to the sunset.

[Art Centre documentation]