Mutitjpuy Munungurr, ‘Story of Buralgu, the Morning Star’, Yirrkala bark painting,NE Arnhem Land, NT c. 1970

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Mutitjpuy Mununggurr (1932-1993)

Story of the Morning Star, Buralgu

Earth pigments on bark

Collected 1970s-80’s

39×78.5cm

Faded & damaged paper label to back with ‘ARTIST – MUTITSPUY / JABU people /  TRIAL BAY’,

-a narrative about Buralgu, ‘the star seen every morning ‘….

Artist – Mutitjpuy Munungurr  (1932-93)

Mutitjpuy Munungurr was brought up – and taught to paint – by the great Mawalan Marika (c.1908–1967). Marika was the original instigator of the remarkable Yirrkala school of traditional bark painting. He was the leader of the Rirratjingu clan of the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land, and was an important source of traditional lore for the anthropologists of the time. He was also very political, fighting to keep tribal traditions relevant in a political climate where change was being forced on them. The concept of producing bark paintings to keep the stories alive, and to spread them far & wide, was brilliant and successful, with both his and his companion painter’s works being sold and exhibited in major galleries around the world.

Not everything was traditional though – he was the first to teach his daughters, not just sons, the skills of painting onto bark. In 1963, Mawalan and his four brothers led the other NT clans in presenting the Yirrkala bark petitions to the Australian Government, a fledgling land-rights case that ultimately failed, but is considered an important first step into the recognition of First Nation land rights. This petition, as the name suggests, was written on bark, and was the first of its kind. Around a typed English formal petition is a bark frame, painted with traditional Yirrkala motifs. While it is not recorded if he was one of the artists who painted the bark, he was certainly present as one of the 12 signatories of this important document.

He was also one of the artists who created the striking Yirrkala Mission panels, installed 1963.

Three of his daughters, Djilirrma, Wuyuwa and Yananymul – were taught by him and became well respected traditional artists.

Provenance: from a Melbourne collection put together 1980’s, collection label & description to back (silver-fish eaten).

Said to have been de-acquisitioned from the NGV .

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