Gracie Kumbi 1968
Ngen’giwumirri. Malfiyin
Merrepen Arts
Nauiyu, Daly River,
Fitzmaurice regionen,
Northern Territory
Atyalmerr
Large barramundi
Acrylic on canvas
”This painting is about the barramundi. When the river is up, we don’t fish for barra because we know we can’t catch anything. So we wait until the river goes down and we give it a couple of days until we see dragonflies flying around. Then we know there’s lots of fish in the river.”
Emelpe
Stingrays
Etching on paper
”Stingrays are found in the river. You see them when the river is up. They feed on baitfish near the banks. When the river goes down that’s when you can see them clearly chasing baitfish for tucker. The stingrays can be caught on a fishing line or speared. The dangerous spine at the base of the tail must be carefully removed; they are then cooked in a ground oven. The flesh has a pleasant taste, and the fat is especially sought after.”
