Daphne Banyawarra

A Flower in the Swamp - the life of Daphne Banyawarra

Daphne Banyawarra is a member of the legendary Ganalbingu clan, the people of the swamp. She was born in the bush at Yurrwi, better known as Milingimbi Island - or the place with lots of sandflies to non-Aboriginal visitors. Banyawarra's early formative years were spent here. Throughout her life, she has also lived at Galiwin'ku, Yirrkala and now Ramingining.

Despite her bush upbringing, Banyawarra has made giant strides in her chosen field of endeavour: education. Her efforts were rewarded in November 2005 when she and a group of Charles Darwin University academics travelled to Canberra to receive a special Prime Minister's Award, for the group's development of an innovative Aboriginal language project. The prestigious award, University Teacher of the Year, is Australia's highest teaching award and is presented annually to an individual or team "with an exceptional record of advancing student learning, educational leadership and scholarly contribution to teaching and learning".

Didgeridoos made by Banyawarra, painted with sacred Ganalbingu clan designs from the swamp: Gurrumattji (Magpie Goose), Nyangura (Long-neck Tortoise), Warrnyu (Flying Fox), and Wakwak (Waterlily).

The Ganalbingu people are best known for their unique traditional lifestyle. About 70 years ago, anthropologist Donald Thomson lived among the Djinba-speaking people of the 'Arafura Swamp' in north-central Arnhem Land - a hot, humid, dangerous, mosquito-infested wetlands system. Thomson kept a daily journal that documented the lives and traditions of the Swamp People, amassed an unsurpassed ethnographic collection of material culture, and took photographs of superb quality and sensitivity. His photographic legacy shows how Aboriginal people adapted to a landscape that was inundated with water for half of the year. Not only did the Ganalbingu tolerate living in such seemingly desperate conditions, but they excelled in their environment through uncanny skills and technologies specially designed for swamp life.

One of Thomson's most famous photographs is that of the Goose Egg Hunters, 10 men perched in ngadan or stringybark canoes propelled by long poles up to 12 feet long. Among the group of 10 was a man by the name of Marrakaywara.

Ngulmarmar - father of George Milpurrurr - leads the hunt, with Marrakaywara - father of Daphne Banyawarra - left of him. This photo of the Goose Egg Hunters is one Thomson's most famous from Arnhem Land.

"... in 1937 I was determined to arrange my patrols so as to be able to join the goose-hunters in their strange life... Conditions were difficult and dangerous... Mosquitoes came in millions and I spent one of the longest and most wretched nights of my existence..." - Donald Thomson, 1937, in Donald Thomson in Arnhem Land, pg. 148-150, published by The Miegunyah Press, Carlton, in 2003.

Marrakaywara was a hunter, a warrior and a family man. He was known as a person of great intellect, and indeed, one of his names was Gungidjambatj - literally, smart head. He married two women of the Liyagalawumirr clan, Yilpa and Malpunhdharr, and fathered 9 children: Wilinydjangu, Wanimilil, Matjaki, Djulibing, Yangganiny, Djarriyang, Banydjulpanydjul, Mutiny and Banyawarra.

Liya-damala, essential housing built on the edge of the swamp contructed from paperbark and grass over a light frame made of branches. Dome-shaped and resembling igloos, they were essential protection against mosquitoes at night... a smoky fire would be lit inside, the smoke driving away mosquitoes and escaping through a small vent in the roof.

From all accounts, Marrakaywara was a fierce warrior in his youth. Oral history among family members speak of his noble resilience against uninvited pastoralists on his land. Many clan groups were decimated as a result of indiscriminate shootings by the pastoralists, and Marrakaywara is credited by today's generation as one of a number of Yolngu men who drove away the intruders.

Later, at Milingimbi, perhaps as a result of missionary influence, Marrakaywara changed his ways. He instilled in his children the importance of helping each other, whether black or white. Banyawarra remembers her father instructing the clan group on a new way of living: don't hit people, be good, be humble, be peaceful, help people in the community and look after them. Banyawarra has lived by this rule ever since.

Banyawarra earned her Diploma of Teaching at Batchelor College and received a special award upon graduation, in recognition of her outstanding achievements. With ambitions to be the first Yolngu principal in her local community school, she is currently completing post-graduate studies in Graduate Certificate in Educational Administration. In 2004, she worked for a year in Darwin at the Charles Darwin University where she was an advisor to the university's unique Yolngu Studies program. A full-time educator and the only qualified Yolngu teacher in her community, Banyawarra is often called upon to attend interstate workshops and conferences in education and linguistics.

A gentle caring person, Banyawarra has a keen sense of compassion and justice. There is also a quiet determination about her that could sometimes be described as stubbornness, yet it is this intensity that has seen her achieve where others would have given up long ago. The fact she remains humble - even shy - is a breath of fresh air in comparison to more aggressive forms of leadership that are entrenched in Arnhem Land. She is loved by the children of her community and is often visited by those in need of food, money and general help. Despite the seriousness of much of her work, Banyawarra enjoys a joke and has an easy beaming smile. She has one of the wildest most unrestrained laughs in Arnhem Land!

Banyawarra hunting for nyangura, long-neck tortoise.

Gurrutumirr mala - family

'The Swamp' has produced more immenent Australians than one would expect of this mosquito-infested wetlands system. Dollar Man - David Malangi, gained celebrity status through the depiction of his design on the back of Australia's one dollar note. Ganalbingu artist and a brother of Banyawarra, George Milpurrurr, is credited as the first Aboriginal artist in Australia to hold a solo exhibition of his artworks. And who could forget David Gulpilil who won fans as an actor in such classics as Walkabout, Storm Boy, Crocodile Dundee, Rabbit Proof Fence and The Tracker.

Banyawarra belongs to this new era of high achievers. Her family tree reads like an A-list of who's who in Arnhem Land. Her ngapipi (mother's brother) was that great ceremonial leader of north-central Arnhem Land, Paddy Dhathangu, who was also a celebrated artist whose works are found in major institutional collections in Australia and overseas. Another uncle Albert Djiwada is the current boss of the secret men's ceremony, Gunabibi. Yet another uncle, Frank Dhamayi, created history by being the first Yolngu health worker at Milingimbi community several decades ago.

A sister and fellow Ganalbingu clanswomen Elizabeth Djutarra won the prestigious Vic. Health National Craft Award in 1992. A brother Johnny Wanimilil performs the coveted role of Djanyarr (sacred Dog) in the Mandiyala initiation ceremony, a responsibility passed on by Ngulmarmar - father of George Milpurrurr.

The list goes on and on...

Banyawarra collecting white pipeclay for painting.

A time for relaxation and reflection - casting a line in the hope of the Big One!

Gamununggu ga yidaki (sacred art and didgeridoo)

"Art is important to me because it is an expression of my identity and it connects me to the land, to the Dreaming" - Daphne Banyawarra

Banyawarra is not a career artist. She is far too busy for that as teaching and education-related activities occupy almost all of her energy. When she does have spare time, she likes to go out hunting - to fish, to fossick for mud crabs in the tidal mangroves, or to collect elusive shellfish half-buried in sand along the shoreline. She has occasionally produced works of art on bark and canvas, as well as woven fibrecraft, and these are quickly snapped up by school staff and colleagues further afield.

The inspiration behind Banyawarra's latest foray into yidaki crafting and painting came about through her visits to Gunyangara' (Ski Beach) to visit family. Famed yidaki craftsman Djalu Gurruwiwi is her galay (brother-in-law). She has been to Gikal' outstation with the Gurruwiwis, relishing miyapunu (sea turtle) meat - a rare delicacy in the inland Ramingining community. Both Djalu and Banyawarra share a strong belief in Christianity... Djalu is a pastor and Banyawarra a youth leader for the church. When the Gurruwiwis visit Ramingining for combined fellowships, they stay with Banyawarra and her family at their house Bilimarr.

An uncle of Banyawarra, George Nawutpu, is also an Old Master of the yidaki. He has a local following in communities he stays in, with demand for his quality instruments coming from carpenters, plumbers and other contract workers. Not one to stay put, he is often on 'walkabout' between Beswick, Jabiru, Ramingining, Maningrida and wherever he finds his spirit guiding him. In contrast to current trends, Nawutpu is not a mass-producer of didgeridoos. His plan is simple. Go out bush by foot with an axe. Look for a good yidaki (which might take a couple of hours). Cut it down. Bring it back home. Work on it for the next 2 to 3 days until the desired shape and sound is achieved. Paint it. If he doesn't go on 'walkabout' soon after, he will go bush again in search of another didgeridoo to cut down...

Banyawarra works in much the same way. Her skills in locating suitable trees and then in crafting superb didgeridoos from them have advanced considerably in a short space of time. She doesn't accept second best, and neither does she like to give out second best. Her instruments are of the yidaki (north-east Arnhem Land), wuyimbal (north-central Arnhem Land) and mago (Western Arnhem Land) type - drawn from her connections to many parts of Arnhem Land.

The designs Banyawarra adorns her yidaki with come from her own and from her mother's clan. Dhatangu her uncle taught her to paint Liyagalawumirr clan designs, whereas brother Jimmy Yangganiny (deceased) and Dick Yambal taught her Ganalbingu gamununggu (clan-specific patterns and motifs).

Banyawarra harvesting a tree for yidaki production.

Banyawarra paints Warrnyu, the sacred Flying Fox.

Banyawarra with her 10 spectacular didgeridoos, after a stint as artist-in-residence at iDIDJ Australia.

Banyawarra's didgeridoos are exclusive to iDIDJ Australia.

Ancestral Story of Long-neck Tortoise - Nyangura

The long-neck tortoise, Nyangura, is one of the most important totems for the Ganalbingu people 'from the bottom'. Many clan groups throughout Arnhem Land have gupa (top) and dhudi (bottom) sub-groups, and/or raypiny (freshwater) and monuk (saltwater) lineages. Nyangura belongs to the dhudingur Ganalbingu, the people from Djulibunyamurr country.

The following story about Nyangura was narrated by Banyawarra:

"Nyangurany dhuwal Yirritja. Yo, wungiliny' manda ngunha Djirringi ngunhi manda gan gal'yurr. Ga ngunhi dhurrpa' gal'yunawuy ngunhiyiny napurrung buku-lupnha nhakun wan'tjirrgun munatha.

Ga wiripu napurr nguli giritjirr nyanurangur. Gong napurr nguli ngaminmirr bungulgu. Ngunhi nguli yolngu dhingam, dhukarrmirryam nguli marr ga wiripunguynydja waluy napurr dhu gaman molulilnha yakan dhu bakamaram ngunhiyiny rom bili nhakun napurr bilin giritjinan. Yo, ngamindja napurr dhu ga nyanura, warrnyu, wakwak ga wiripu mala.

Yo wiripuny napurr dhu bathan manymakkum ga gulkgulk'maram bala lukan. Yurr yakan ngarra dhu yindikumany dhawu lakaram. Dhuwaliyi dhawu ngarra lakarangal nhungu ga nhepin dhu wukirri balandakurrnydja, yurr yaka djinagagurrnydja wukirri yan garrwargurr wukirri".

Nyangura the Long-Neck Tortoise is Yirritja. The two sacred ancestral Nyangura are found at a place called Djirringi in north-central Arnhem Land on Ganalbingu land. The tracks left by the two ancestral totemic Nyangura, as they crawled over the land at Djirringi, is a sacred symbol. This symbol is used as a ground design or sand sculpture during cleansing ceremonies otherwise known as Buku-Lup or Wan'tjirr. During this ceremony, water is poured over the bodies of Yolngu relatives of the deceased as they stand within the sacred ground design representing the marks left on the ground by the two original ancestral Nyangura at Djirringi.

Yolngu also dance Nyangura during bunggul ceremonies. They may paint the design for Nyangura, Warrnyu (Flying Fox), waterlilies and other designs. When a certain dance is performed at the end of a funeral, the body must be brought to the grave and buried by the next day and this is a strict law that has always been like this for generations and generations and will not ever change.

Nyangura is also food for Yolngu. It is cooked and cut according to age old tradition.

The information above are surface stories that Yolngu are happy to share with the public. There are deeper, more sacred stories that are restricted knowledge.