• 18. Wulbung (Baskets)
  • 18. Wulbung (Baskets)
  • 18. Wulbung (Baskets)
  • 18. Wulbung (Baskets)

Yulki Nunggumajbarr

18. Wulbung (Baskets)

  

    • Acrylic on metal
    • Dimensions: 15 x 45cm
    • Cat No. 308-23

“We want to share our culture with the world, through art.” – Yulki Nunggumajbarr

Senior weaver Yulki Nunggumajbarr comes from Miwal country. She spent her youth in Wuyagiba before moving between Numbulwar, Roper and Groote Eylandt missions with her parents Bessy Numamudidi and Rueben Nunggumajbarr as she grew up. Nunggumajbarr and her family were integral in establishing the mission at Numbulwar in 1952, and Yulki eventually became the first female First Nations priest in Australia. Yulki was part of the new arts and crafts movement in the early days of Numbulwar mission, learning how to weave baskets from Old Gagadi and other Elders in the community.

With these Elders now gone, Yulki recognises her own responsibility in passing down knowledge to new generations including her people’s history, traditions, knowledge systems and pandanus harvesting, preparation and weaving wulbung (baskets). In recent years, Yulki has enthusiastically adopted the use of ghost nets in her wulbung weaving practice and is now well- known for her distinctively bright and chunky woven baskets that help to rid Numbulwar’s shores of harmful ocean debris. 

Built on self-determination, Numbulwar Numburindi Arts (NNA) is a colletive or artists whose mission is to keep culture strong. Established in 2019, Numbulwar’s first art centre is 100 per cent owned and controlled by the community. Born from the community’s desire to practice and engage with traditional culture, NNA is a space for artistic and cultural expression. Champions of fibre art, NNA artists marry naturally-dyed and locally-harvested pandanus with bright and bold ghost nets, abandoned fishing line retrieved from Numbulwar’s shoreline. Our Wulbung (baskets) and Yir (dillybags) fit as naturally in traditional applications as they do in contemporary, urban environments. Numbulwar sits on the Rose River and belongs to the Nunggayinbala clan, one of the Wubuy or Nunggubuyu speaking clans from the region. Ceremonial activities are still very important within the region and occur regularly.


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