Story
This painting shows Yulengorr the Sacred Rainbow Serpent at Mirrarmina. The background cross hatching represents the water of the sacred waterhole, which is the home of Yulengor.
Yulengorr is the focus of Dhuwa moiety ceremonies, the Serpent’s powers causing the torrential monsoon rains and subsequent fertility of the land.
The Wawilag Sisters journey is intimately associated with the rainbow Sepent.
Mithinari was born at Ngaypinyu near Blue Mud bay. He is from the Galpu clan and was a prolific artist until his death in 1976. His work was distinguished by skilful use of surface patterning and concentration on the Wawilag religious cycle.
He was the sole inheritor of the rights to use the dot design on the body of the great serpent. His work has been collected by all major institutions and a number of private collectors in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
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