Miṉḏirr (conical basket)

Milingimbi artists choose to create their woven artworks solely using natural materials harvested from their homelands. Many works, such as this one, are made from gunga or pandanus. The new shoots of the pandanus palm are plucked from the central crown of the tree. The fine serrated edges are removed by running a fingernail down each side of the frond, which is then split into two and peeled to expose the inner fibre. Using extensive knowledge of local vegetation, these strips are then dyed using colours extracted from the leaves, roots and bark of selected native plants and left to dry in the sun. Following this lengthy process, the artist weaves the prepared fibres into their desired form.

The Milingimbi Art and Culture certificate for this works states: Miṉḏirr (conical baskets) are common across Arnhem Land and serve ceremonial, symbolic and practical purposes. The material, form and aesthetic of miṉḏirr is informed by the artist's country and clan as well as the intended function of the piece. Lily Roy describes these as practical bags made ‘for hunting or selling’. The colour is made by mixing the yellow skin of guṉinyi (Morinda citrifolia) root with ash, and boiling the pandanus in this dye.