Warrukay (Barracuda)
Date2018
Object number00055920
NameFish carving
MediumEarth pigments on wood
DimensionsOverall: 130 × 630 × 60 mm
Copyright© Guykuḏa Munuŋgurr
ClassificationsArt
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection
DescriptionCarved wooden sculpture of Warrukay (Barracuda) by Guykuḏa Munuŋgurr.
This is a non-secular rendition of Warrukay the Barracuda, a Dhow moiety being. Sphyrna barracuda. As a powerful totemic being for the Datiwuy and Naymil clans it appears in the songs and the landscapes as below. Pregnant women should not eat this fish.
HistoryNgalkan is a deep name for the ancestral Barracuda and has reference to a sacred place, in the saltwaters in Ngaymil country, Arnhem Bay close to the mouth of the Gurrumuru River. Larrtjangga of the freshwater Ngaymil was custodian of this saltwater site as his classificatory brothers clan, the saltwater or bottom Ngaymil has been all but wiped as a result of Yolngu war several generations ago. The old woman Bitinggurra was the last of these people and resided at the artists homeland of Yangunbi.
Out in these waters the Ngaymil know of a sacred place that represents a hole that is described as the wanga or home for Ngaymil power totem Warrukay the barracuda. This deep place is the font of secret Ngaymil knowledge and ngaymil soul. Sacred water coming up from this hole Ngalkanbuy has a special quality referred to as Djetdja. This is the water of profound weight and body with qualities also of danger amplified by the presence of Warrukay patrolling Ngalkanbuy.
The traditional final rites for Ngaymil clansmen is to have their bones placed inside the hollow log ngalkan to rest on clan land. The sacred miny'tji (clan design) of Djetdja identifies to the spirit world and others the journey the deceased soul has taken - to the place guarded by Warrukay.
In Yolŋu law Rangga or sacred objects are never revealed and their shape can only be guessed at. It is assumed that it was the similarity of these manifestations of totems with such raqga which caused elders to veto his naturalistic representations of Species. The artist specifically disavows any sacredness for this works. They are 'just art' or 'just for fun'.
An area where he has been able to play with form and not attract negative attention is in his representations of fish.
This work is part of a series begun in 2018. As a homeland resident living on the coast of a vibrant sea estate which includes estuaries and coral reefs, big rivers and ocean he feeds himself and his family with his knowledge of the land. This familiarity allows him to shape these sculptures from memory not from images or life.SignificanceGuykuḏa Munuŋgurr is the only full time artist at his homeland of Garrthalala (Caledon Bay).
He has distinguished himself as a completely innovative sculptor who pioneers new materials and techniques.
One of the themes that he has pursued is the natural representation of animal species without reference to their sacred identity. This is one such work
.
However for stricter adherents of Yolŋu law the naturalistic representation of totemic species is a sacrilege. Despite his protestations of innocence in representing figurative sculpture of crocodiles (which are related to his mother's clans respectively) he was counselled away from this approach.
