Munhala Dhamarrandji
Yirrkala, NT
This painting carries the miny�tji of Batjimurru?u, a shellfish of the mangroves area that climbs the aerial roots of the mangroves as the tide comes in. It is sung by the Djambarrpuyngu clan and relates to the Buckingham Bay area of Gurula Dhulmuwandany.
About the Artist
Munhala Dhamarrandji is an emerging artist from the Djambarrpuy?u clan. Her homeland is Yilpara in East Arnhem Land, NT, which was established in 1974 and is in the Laynhapuy Homelands region.
Munhala depicts her Djambarrpuy?u clan design of Batjimurru?u, a shellfish of the mangroves area and also known as Cassidula angulifera or the Angular Ear Shell. Other synonyms are miniminipi and mitjala?ani?.
It is sung by the Djambarrpuy?u clan with the Guyula/Dhamarrandji surnames and relates to the Buckingham Bay area of Gurula Dhulmuwandany. It is a design learnt by the artist via her mother�s first husband and is her classificatory sister clan.
This place and design, songs and the shellfish itself are related to the songlines of the Dja?'kawu sisters of the Dhuwa moiety.
Munhala has been selected for the first time as a finalist in the 2022 Telstra NATSIAA.
