Namankorl, the barramundi creator ancestor

Artist Jimmy Njiminjuma (1945-2004)

Date1993

Object number00016927

NameBark painting

MediumOchre pigments, stringybark (eucalyptus tetradonta)

Dimensions1560 mm
Display Dimensions: 1575 x 412 mm, 2 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionA painting on bark by Jimmy Njiminjuma of Namankorl, the barramundi creator ancestor of the artist's clan lands at Mumeka. The bark shows a large barramundi fish, one of the main food sources of the Mumeka out-station. Most of the population from Momega outstation move to Bulgai and Mimumya each year to harvest the Barramundi HistoryJimmy Njiminjuma comes from a family of bark painters. His father Anchor Kulunba and his uncle Peter Mawurndjul taught him how to paint using bark and the cross hatching (rarrk) technique. Like other painters from Mumeka, Njiminjuma often paints the spirit ancestors of his country and the sacred sites associated with them.SignificanceTraditional hunting and fishing is still practiced in this area of Arnhem Land and the barramundi plays a significant practical and cultural role in the lives of the Mumeka community.