BIRRUNGA WIRADYURI
Yanghul Yaala Ngiyanghiguna

2023
acrylic on canvas
154.5 x 78.5cm

This piece speaks to my position as a Wiradyuri man in non- linear time, culturally, responsibly, consciously and strategically.
Wiradyuri Men’s Diamond Lore is at the centre of the piece, representing me in the present moment in Yindyamarra depicted by the diamonds themselves and by there being five diamonds representing each facet of our Wiradyuri Central Lore.
We draw from 9 generations gone and punch forward 9 generations so that what we do today is informed by the wisdom and experience of the previous 9 generations and will land to benefit the 9 generations yet to come. The 9 generations gone are depicted by the lower 9 dark blue bands below the diamonds. The 9 generations yet to come are depicted by the 9 light blue bands above the diamonds.
To the left and right of the diamonds are two parrying shields. The one on the left is for the cultural lives of those passed whose footsteps we walk in and on whose shoulders we are carried. The one on the right is the constant reminder that our cultural responsibilities and how we carry ourselves will underpin and inform the quality of the lives of generations yet to come. When we meet to do serious Cultural Business, a parrying shield is planted into mother earth so that it stands in the centre of the space where business is done around it in a circle. These two parrying shields meet in the present moment and depict the cultural business done moment to moment, each day, always.
All of the above is depicted over and in front of the energies and beauty my beloved home country, Wahluu Ngurambang.