Mungurrawuy Yunupiŋu | Biḏimbiḏa
Clan
Lamamirri
Clan
Lightning Snakes
"Two big clouds and two snakes making lightning—yes, that one there: Biḏimbiḏa. It is raining two big clouds and lots of little ones. This is where it starts, on the horizon, and then it goes right up to the beach side. Like all these triangles here, these little ones [on the left of the image]. It is like when you see the clouds on the horizon— the little ones come first, and then the big black clouds roll in, and it starts lightning and raining."
– MUNGURRAWUY YUNUPIŊU
More Info
There is a sacred story for the clouds as well: the black cloud and the lightning when the snake Biḏimbiḏa rises up and spits the rain clouds. That is maḏayin too. Biḏimbiḏa and Wuṉhaŋu, two names for that snake.
– Yälpi Yunupiŋu
Additional Information
Decade
c.1971
Medium
Natural pigments on eucalyptus bark
Dimensions (IN)
49 x 24 1/4
Dimensions (CM)
124.5 x 61.6
Credit
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia. Gift of Maria T. Kluge, 2012. 2012.0002.004
Clan
Lamamirri
The Lamamirri is an extinct Yirritja clan. Lamamirri Country is located at Nanydjaka (Cape Arnhem.)...
Narrative
Lightning Snakes
Lightning Snakes The lightning snake is known as Burrut’tji or Mundukuḻ. “At a place called...
Location
1970
In 1970, the Australian documentary filmmaker Ian Dunlop visited Yirrkala. This visit was the start...
About The Artist
Clan
Dates
c.1907-1979
Alternative Names
Mungurrawuy Yunupiŋu
Mungurrawuy Yunupiŋu was an important patriarch of the Gumatj clan. He contributed to the Yirrkala Church Panels and was a signatory to the Yirrkala Bark Petitions. His children include the Aboriginal leader and land rights activist Galarrwuy Yunupiŋu; Mandawuy Yunupiŋu, the lead-singer of the band Yothu Yindi; and the acclaimed artists Barrupu, Gulumbu, and Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu.