Narrbong-galang
Datec 2002
Object number00055499
NameFibre bag
MediumBurnt wood, wire mesh
DimensionsOverall: 860 × 940 × 355 mm, 4770 g
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionA narrbong-galang constructed from oxidised wire mesh by Lorraine Connelly-Northey featuring a burnt wood handle.
HistoryNarrbongs are traditionally made by Waradgerie women weaving together natural fibres and are used for collect and carry food and significant personal items. The skill of weaving narrbongs is passed down through mothers and grandmothers and is an important part of Waradgerie culture. It involves the gathering and preparing of the right organic material in addition to the intricate weaving of the fibres which reflects an intimate knowledge of Waradgerie country and cultural heritage.
In 2002 Connelly-Northey began creating narrbongs created out of discarded metals and other materials she found in the landscape. These materials, remnants of European presence in traditional Indigenous homelands, are woven together to form shapes of narrbongs, non-European objects. Like the traditionally sourced fibres, the metal used in Connelly-Northey's work is gathered from the surrounding country, collected and reworked by hand onto an object charged with history and tradition yet very firmly acknowledging recent stories and modern meanings.
SignificanceThe lives of Lorraine Connelly-Northey's family revolved around water cycles and an understanding of the rivers and landscape, both as traditional owners of the land and as European farmers. This deep knowledge and appreciation is reflected in her work of using modern materials to create traditional forms.
2016
2018