Images(3)

Bäru

Date2018

Object number00055936

NameCrocodile carving

MediumWood

DimensionsOverall: 140 × 1290 × 320 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection

Collections

Guykuḏas Aquarium

Terms

DescriptionCarved wooden sculpture of Bäru, Ancestral Crocodile, by Guykuḏa Munuŋgurr.HistoryBäru (Ancestral Crocodile) was sitting in the river at Birany Birany and thinking to himself "I'm sick and tired of sittng here in this hot place, I'm going to leave here and go to that lovely cool island Murrmurrpa. He went to that place which belonged to the Yarrwidi Gumatj and fought with them and the barb from the gapalkmirri entered the flank of the Bäru symbolic of the dispute resolution ceremony Makarratha. After the peace was settled between the two the Dhinimbu (Spanish Mackerel) jumped out of the water to see the colourful and beautiful clouds symbolising the peace between the disputants. Thereafter the groups stood in a Mari-Gutharra relationship with each other (an important bond in Yolŋu life between a child and its mother's mother's brothers always of the same moiety as each other and with important duties and rights as far as funeral and circumcision and other ceremonial law is concerned). Märi-Gutharra relationship at Mulmurrupa. The relationship between the clan's is analagous to that between two individuals where an Yirritja (for example from the Yarrwidi Gumatj) man's Dhuwa mother will always have an Yirritja mother. The brothers and fathers of that Yirritja woman (who in this example would be from the Rrakpaia Gumatj) are charged with managing the circumcision, initiation, arranged marriage and mortuary rites of such a person. Defending him in the face of accusation or attack and inculcating a knowledge of his grandmother clan's law, land and language (including sacred designs-as painted by numerous gutharra or grandchildren in this book). This is not to say that other clan relationships do not have importance and input to these rites but the Märi is referred to as 'the backbone'. Guykuḏa Munuŋgurr's mother is a member of the Gumatj clan and their identity is linked to Bäru (Saltwater Crocodile). His mother belongs to a particular subgroup the Yarrwidi with a surname of Munuŋggurritj. The differences between the sections of the clan are differences of origin and law and are reflected in different songs, paintings, places and in post-missionary times different surnames. Whilst people with the surnames Yunupiŋu, Munuŋgurritj and Burarrwaŋa all count themselves as Gumatj their distinct stories are part of their identity. The songs describe a conflict and resolution between the Yunupiŋu group represented by the crocodile (Bäru) and the Munuŋgurritj group represented by the stingray (Gäŋalkmirri). This sculptural form is free of any miny’tji or clan design and at first is just a crocodile form. But it adds to understanding to know that this animal is Guykuḏa Munuŋgurr's maternal grandmother.SignificanceGuykuḏa Munuŋgurr explained that the big name for the area around Bridgland (Wakuwala) and Dudly (Gaywunydj) Islands is Garritjpi and that the dispute happened deep underwater in a place known as Wulanbuy and that theye are still there- their spirits. He explained that this is how Bäru got his tail from the spike of the Stingray. He said "We still dance this". This work was the first such sculpture created from a hollow tree in cross section.