Cat and crow legend, (collected 1960) by Dawidi Djulwarak

Dawidi Djulwarak

(Australia 1921–1970)

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

Cat and crow legend

Location

Not on display

Further information

The crows took some hair which is part of the tassel of the spear thrower (shown vertically left of centre) and whirled it. This was their nest. It grew and grew until it reached the sky and turned into a stone. Today one half of it stands in Liayagalawumirr clan country and the other half is the Milky Way. The Cat was out fishing. He caught a great many fish and after he had eaten them he put the bones in a paper bark receptacle (shown upper right) and came back to camp. When he got there he saw the Crow up in the sky. You can see them in the Milky Way today. The paper bark basket is a garma (totem) for the Liagalawumirr people (source: William Lloyd Warner, 'A black civilization: a social study of an Australian tribe', Harper, 1958, pg. 535).

Besides cats, crows, fish, bones, basket and spear thrower, a drone pipe or bones post and three figures, two of them being speared, are shown.

Place of origin

Glyde River, Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

Year

collected 1960

Media

Bark painting

Medium

natural pigments on bark

Dimensions

105.4 x 47.0cm

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Gift of Dr Stuart Scougall 1960

Accession number

IA42.1960