DJIRRIRRA WUNUNGMURRA - YUKUWA

 DJIRRIRRA WUNUNGMURRA
YUKUWA,  2017
261 x 17 cm
Earth pigments & sand on Stringybark hollow pole
 
PROVENANCE
Yirrkala NE Arnhem Land, NT
Buku Larrngay Arts, NTCooee Art, NSW 
 
STORY
Yukuwa is one of the personal names of the artist and Yukuwa is the topic of this work. Almost a self-portrait. It was made just after her 2012 Best Bark winning painting. This motif first arose when she had been challenged about her right to paint Buyku the fishtrap imagery of her own clan and homeland by a family member. Rather than argue she retorted by painting imagery which in one sense is her own personal identity. The complaints in relation to Buyku evaporated but Djirrirra persists with the Yukuwa imagery with the encouragement of her art centre.This piece is a reference to Yirritja renewal ceremony which is by definition a shared communion of Yirritja moiety clans which does not relate to circumcision or mortuary rites. Spirits of deceased people are on a cyclical journey from their point of death to the reservoir of souls particular to their clan identity. But at these irregular ceremonies they all congregate for one last dance together before heading their separate ways. There are relationships between Yirritja moiety clans that are renewed through Yukuwa ceremony at particular sites which relate to the ritual exchange of sacred objects, song and dance. Yukuwa is a yam whose annual reappearance is a metaphor for the increase and renewal of the people and their land. Traditionally the invitation to such a ceremony is presented as an object in the form of a yam with strings emanating from it with feathered flowers at the end. This is a suggestion of the kinship lines which tie groups together. The site referred to in this piece is in the area between Gangan and the sea known as Balambala described as the next river from Gangan. This is a cleared area which is an ancient ceremonial site at which special menā€™s ceremony involving both larrakitj (or Dhanā€™parr- barkcoffin) and special yidaki occurred. An ancient hero known as Burruluburrulu danced here.It is described as a meeting place for DhalwaÅ‹u, top Madarrpa (DholpuyÅ‹u) and Munyuku. These ā€�renewalā€™ ceremonies in YolÅ‹u law occur irregularly when the time is right. They are independent of the funeral, circumcision and age grading ceremonies that occur all the time. They are held at specific natural clearings within the general Stringybark forest that covers most of Arnhem land.The documentation of a different work detailing the Garma site at Gulkula (which is another of these sites) says as follows;ā€�This piece and the Festival and site itself flag reference to a class of Yirritja renewal ceremony which is by definition a shared communion of Yirritja moiety clans which does not relate to circumcision or mortuary rites. There are relationships between Yirritja moiety clans that are renewed through Yukuwa ceremony at particular sites which relate to the ritual exchange of sacred objects, song and dance.Yukuwa is a yam whose annual reappearance is a metaphor for the increase and renewal of the people and their land. Traditionally the invitation to such a ceremony is presented as an object in the form of a yam with strings emanating from it with feathered flowers at the end. This is a suggestion of the kinship lines which tie groups together. The other sites which can host such a ceremony besides Gulkula include an area between Gangan and the sea known as Balambala described as the next river from Gangan. This is in the DhalwaÅ‹u coastal zone known as Garraparra.Some of the dancers at 2003 Garma (who used a whistle in their ritual call and response) were DhalwaÅ‹u singing this site. It is described as a meeting place for DhalwaÅ‹u, top Madarrpa (DholpuyÅ‹u) and Munyuku. An ancient hero known as Burruluburrulu danced here. There is another naturally cleared site at RurraÅ‹ala which is an analagous ā€�ceremony ground of the godsā€™. .
 
EXHIBITED
Sydney Contemporary 2019Booth A11,  , Carriage Works