
Wilson Manydjarri Ganambarr | Shark of the Djambarrpuyŋu Clan
""
–
More Info
In this work, Manydjarri has painted imagery from his Märi (mother’s mother’s clan) – the Djambarrpuyŋu. This painting refers to the spearing of the ancestral shark Bulmanydji by a Yirritja spirit man. The bottom and top halves of the painting show the shark before and after he is speared. The artist called the top image of Bulmanydji “the ghost” and the bottom image “wounded.” The shark is wearing the Yirritja barbed spears and producing the Dhuwa spears Dhämarrarr, which are traditionally made from stingray barbs. They represent the teeth of Mäna (shark). The ancestral shark is set against Djambarrpuyŋu clan designs and saltwater patterns.
– Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre
Additional Information
Decade
1996
Medium
Natural pigments on eucalyptus bark
Dimensions (IN)
75 ⅞ x 22 ¾
Dimensions (CM)
192.72 x 57.79
Credit
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia. Gift of John W. Kluge, 1997. 1996.0035.017
Clan
Djambarrpuyŋu
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore...
Narrative
Mäna
In Yolŋu oral tradition, several Dhuwa clans are connected by the journey of Mäṉa (the...
Location
1990
Due to innovations in technology, communication was expedited in the 1990s. For example, Buku-Larrŋgay received...
About The Artist

Clan
Dates
Born c.1945
Alternative Names
Wilson Manydjarri Ganambarr
The son of Mowarra Ganambarr, Manydjarri Ganambarr is the current leader of the Ḏäṯiwuy clan. He splits his time between Milingimbi, Yirrkala and Galiwin’ku (Elcho Island) and has painted for all three art centers. He is an extremely knowledgeable and powerful song man who paints intricate designs from both his mother’s and father’s estates.
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia