Birrikitji Gumana | National Museum of Australia

Dhalwaŋu clan, Yirritja moiety

Black and white portrait of a man. - click to view larger image — Birrikitji Gumana

About 1890–1982

Birrikitji was a ŋurrudawalaŋu – a renowned warrior – and a respected ritual and community leader.

His favourite painting subjects were the major Yirritja ancestors Barama and Lany’tjung. Birrikitji was one of the Yirritja painters of the Yirrkala Church Panels (1963).

Major exhibitions to feature his work include: Art of the Dreamtime, Tokyo, in 1966; Dreamings at the Asia Society Galleries, New York, in 1988; Spirit in Land at the National Gallery of Victoria, and Keepers of the Secrets at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, both in 1990; and Yirrkala Artists: Everywhen at the Art Gallery of Western Australia in 2009.

Paintings in the exhibition

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts two ships one inverted above the other. Each ship has a a tripod mast, a sail, anchor, and steering sweep. There are two figures aboard each boat, one with a forked spear, and the second with a pole. The painting depicts two birds between the two ships. The painting has a background of cross-hatching, with yellow bands below each boat. - click to view larger image — *Makasar Prau*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. The painting is divided into two panels. The upper panel depicts two yellow crocodiles and a yellow turtle while the lower one depicts a black turtle. The background to both panels contains diamond patterns with crosshatching. The patterns in the upper panel are outlined in white and in the lower panel in black. - click to view larger image — *Minhala the Long-Necked Tortoise at Gangan*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts two vertical rows of four stingrays painted in yellow. Around these are diamond shaped patterns in yellow and white crosshatching. The painting has yellow borders at either end. - click to view larger image — *Ŋärra Ceremony*

A bark painting worked in ochres. It depicts irregularly shaped squares, oblongs and circles decorated with diamond patterns and crosshatching. The painting has a red background with a yellow border. - click to view larger image — *Ŋärra Ceremony*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts three rows each of three black stingrays. These are surrounded by diamond shaped yellow bars and crosshatching. The painting has a yellow border. - click to view larger image — *Stingray Dance Performed in the Yirritja Ŋärra Ceremonies*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts two vertical rows each of four yellow stingrays. There are two sharks depicted between the rows of stingrays.These are surrounded by diamond shaped yellow bars and crosshatching. The painting has a yellow border at either end. - click to view larger image — *Stingrays*

A bark painting worked with ochres on bark. It depicts four male figures each painted with different body designs. At the foot of the painting is a rectangle of diamond shapes with similar patterns in the rest of the painting.There is a smaller male figure on the left and in the centre a female figure. There is an upside-down palm tree at the lower right and a wallaby at the top right. - click to view larger image — *The Four Great Yirritja Lawgivers of Eastern Arnhem Land*

Gawirrin Gumana

Mithinarri Gurruwiwi

John Namerredje Guymala

Harry Makarrwala

David Malangi

From Little Things Big Things Grow

Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion

Collaborating for Indigenous Rights 1957–1973

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Publications

All these bark paintings are part of the National Museum of Australia’s collection. © the artist or the artist’s estate, licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency 2013, unless otherwise specified. These images must not be reproduced in any form without permission.

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