Kenan Namunjdja Ngalyod (Rainbow Serpent)

Kenan Namunjdja has depicted Ngalyod (the Rainbow Serpent), which is one facet of the marladj djang (orphan dreaming). At a place called Kabbari, two brothers had no parents. One day, the older brother decided to go hunting for goannas, leaving his younger brother alone. The family tried to hush the younger brother by feeding him sweet damper but once he’d finished the portion he started crying again. The little boy’s cries aroused the attention of Ngalyod who became angry at the family’s neglect, turning them into stone.

Maningrida Arts on behalf of Kenan Namunjdja, 2021