Yawk Yawk

Jimmy Njiminjuma and Abraham Mongkorrerre were father and son whose collaborations were in part instructional, continuing a mentoring tradition among their family of distinguished artists. Njiminjuma, a leading Kuninjku bark painter from western Arnhem Land, had learnt to paint from both his father Anchor Kulunba and father-in-law Peter Marralwanga, and in turn he passed on his skills to his younger brother John Mawurndjul and his son Abraham.

This giant collaborative bark painting depicts a yawkyawk, one of the female spirit beings who live in freshwater streams and rock pools and often walk on land at night. As creation ancestors, they travelled the country in human form. Here the yawkyawk is depicted with a fish tail and long hair, which is associated with water weed or green algae, and surrounded by waterlily leaves. Pushing at the boundaries of the three-metre bark, the yawkyawk has a physical presence, suggesting a considerable spiritual potency.

Barry Patton, Tarnanthi Writer & Researcher