Collection
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art
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Title
Wangarra Spirit Being
circa 1986

About
This devil spirit called wangarra, inhabits the An-ngiliny clan waterhole called Wangarra A-juwana. This is a dense patch of jungle with a network of creeks that is adjoined by the two large billabongs called Boporlinymarr and Birduk Mu-yerrnyjiya.
The painting depicts five wangarra figures and four rocks which lie inside the water at Wangarra A-juwana. Across the centre of the painting is a band which represents a small creek that runs through Wangarra A-juwana. Two of the wangarra spirits share one arm; this represents the water running from the little creeks, flowing out into all corners of the patch of jungle.
On the edge of the water at Wangarra A-juwana stands a huge banyan tree. The wangarra spirits live inside this tree. At times the tree opens up, and the wangarra spirits come out and go down into the water where they lie inside the rocks. The spirits can lure and trap people inside the banyan tree, which is one reason why Wangarra A-juwana is a dangerous place for those who do not have the right authority to go there. Whan Banggala enters this place he calls out to his ancestors to identify himself as a rightful member of the An-nguliny clan, so that he and his companians are protected from the spirits that live there.
Australian Art Department, AGNSW, 2000
Details
Date
circa 1986
Materials used
ochre on carved wood
Dimensions
267.0 x 15.0 x 11.0 cm
Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
Credit
Gift of Dr Peter Elliott 1993
Location
Not on display
Accession number
388.1993
Copyright
© England Banggala. Licensed by Copyright Agency

Place
Where the work was made
Central Arnhem Land
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Exhibition history
Recent Acquisitions of Aboriginal Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 05 Jul 1993–12 Sep 1993
Biennale of Sydney 2000, Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia, 26 May 2000–30 Jul 2000
Referenced in 2 publications
Bibliography
Biennale of Sydney 2000, Sydney, 2000. no catalogue numbers
A material thing - objects from the collection, Sydney, 1999, 6.