Dhuwa journey of the dead - Aboriginal heaven, (collected 1948) by Binyinyuwuy

An image of Dhuwa journey of the dead - Aboriginal heaven

Binyinyuwuy

(Australia 1928–1982)

Community: Milingimbi, Arnhem region
Language group: Djambarrpuyungu, Arnhem region

Dhuwa journey of the dead - Aboriginal heaven

Other titles:

Aboriginal heaven

Location

Not on display

Further information

This painting shows the Dhuwa land of the dead (an island somewhere to the north-east). This is like an Aboriginal version of heaven where food and hunting are good and plentiful. Spirit people are shown catching food.

Each evening the morning star (Bunimbirr) is brought to the main camp of the spirit people in a special dilly bag. They then begin to dance and sing, singing all of the songs of where the star will travel and what it will see. As they dance they kick up the dust bringing dusk and then darkness. All through the night they continue until just before dawn when the moon has gone but before the sun has risen. Then Djunmundik who holds the bag releases the Star. As this is done the names of all of the Dhuwa country the Star will travel over are sung.
One of these places is Djarraya (Point Napier) a Djambarrpuyngu place. Bunimbrr first rests in the top of a tall Dhuwa tree, which grows on an island near the dancing ground, then flies westward as let out on a feathered string. When it comes to a Dhuwa place it rests in the top of dhuwa trees which grow in each place.

Just before the sun rises Djunmundik pulls back on the string to bring the star back to the island of the dead, where it is safely put away in the dilly bag for another day. Dead people's spirits in the form of butterflies, flying foxes, grasshoppers and praying mantis follow the string back to the island of the dead.

Present day Aboriginal peoples make a Bunimbirr pole representing the star on the Dhuwa tree and hold a morning Star ceremony in imitation of the spirit people of the land of the dead.

[Charles P. Mountford, 'Records of the American-Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land vol. 1: Art, myth and symbolism']

Place of origin

Buckingham Bay, Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

Year

collected 1948

Media

Painting

Medium

natural pigments on paper

Dimensions

58.0 x 45.5cm image/sheet; 76.0 x 63.5 x 3.0cm frame

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Gift of the Commonwealth Government 1956

Accession number

9283