#yolngu artist

[centre-cannot-hold]

Noŋgirrŋa Marawili (dec)

Born c. 1938

Clan Madarrpa, Yithuwa group Moiety Yirritja

Homeland Bäniyala

[mybeingthere]

NYAPANYAPA YUNUPINGU (c.1945-2021)

Gumatj Clan, Yirrkala, Australia

Nyapanyapa Yunupingu lived and worked in Yirrkala, near Nhulunbuy in north-east Arnhem Land, and was a Yolngu woman with a rich artistic genealogy, including musicians Mandawuy Yunupingu of Yothu Yindi and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, and the Gumatj patriarch and artist Munggurrawuy Yunupingu. Yunupingu’s art practice remains independent of bark painting traditions of the Yirrkala region/ Yolngu people of Arnhem Land. Yunupingu’s work is valued for the spontaneity and texture of her draughtsmanship. Her figurative and abstract works unleash a unique set of personal narratives revolving around her own experiences. She also employed unconventional materials such as texta-pen on clear acetate sheet, recycled paper and board during the dry season when the supply of bark runs low. While the impression is recognisably Yunupingu, the finish and texture create a fascinating reconfiguration of her distinct visual language.

[mybudgetart01]

The Vibrant World of Australian Wall Art: A Celebration of Culture and Creativity

Australian wall art is a captivating reflection of the nation's rich cultural tapestry and diverse artistic traditions. From the colorful depictions of Indigenous heritage to the modern, urban expressions of contemporary artists, Australian wall art offers a unique glimpse into the country's vibrant creative scene.

A Tapestry of Traditions

At the heart of Australian wall art is the profound influence of Indigenous culture. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is renowned for its intricate patterns, symbolic motifs, and deep spiritual connections. Dot painting, for example, is a celebrated technique that utilizes a series of dots to create complex and meaningful designs. These artworks often narrate stories of Dreamtime, the Aboriginal understanding of the world's creation and history. The use of earthy tones and natural materials connects the art to the land, embodying a sense of timelessness and continuity.

Another prominent Indigenous art form is bark painting, practiced by the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land. These paintings, often created on eucalyptus bark, feature elaborate designs that convey stories of clan ancestry and ceremonial practices. The vibrant colors and textured surfaces of bark paintings make them a striking addition to any wall, bridging the ancient and the contemporary.

Urban and Contemporary Expressions

In contrast to the traditional forms, Australian urban art is characterized by its dynamic and ever-evolving nature. Street art and graffiti have become integral parts of Australia's artistic landscape, particularly in cities like Melbourne and Sydney. These urban canvases showcase a range of styles, from elaborate murals to minimalist stencils. Melbourne, often hailed as the street art capital of Australia, is renowned for its laneways adorned with colorful and thought-provoking graffiti. Artists like Rone and Adnate have gained international acclaim for their large-scale portraits and striking visual narratives.

Contemporary Australian wall art also includes the works of emerging and established artists who experiment with various media and techniques. Mixed media, abstract art, and digital installations are just a few examples of the innovative approaches seen in modern Australian art. Artists such as Del Kathryn Barton and Ben Quilty are celebrated for their bold and expressive works, which often explore themes of identity, social issues, and the natural environment.

Cultural Fusion and Global Influence

One of the most exciting aspects of Wall Art Australia is its ability to blend traditional and contemporary elements, creating a fusion that is uniquely Australian. This synthesis is evident in the work of artists who draw inspiration from both Indigenous heritage and global trends. For instance, the collaboration between Indigenous artists and contemporary muralists has resulted in vibrant artworks that honor traditional stories while embracing modern aesthetics.

Australian wall art also reflects the country's multiculturalism. Artists from diverse backgrounds contribute to the rich tapestry of Australian art, bringing their unique perspectives and styles. This diversity is evident in the eclectic mix of wall art found across Australian cities, from the intricate designs of Asian-inspired murals to the vibrant patterns of Pacific Islander influences.

Australian wall art is more than just a visual feast; it is a profound expression of the nation's cultural identity and creative spirit. Whether through the ancient traditions of Indigenous art or the cutting-edge designs of contemporary street art, Australian wall art offers a window into the country's soul. As you explore this dynamic and diverse artistic landscape, you'll find that each piece tells a story, celebrates a heritage, and adds a splash of color to the world.

[novumtimes]

Song spirals of ancestors will be heard in new work

Choreographer Rosealee Pearson’s dance piece Song Spirals, premiering at the upcoming Darwin Festival, began with a book she couldn’t put down. Song Spirals: Sharing Women’s Wisdom of Country through Songlines, was the joint winner of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for nonfiction in 2020. It provides an unprecedented insight into the traditional songlines of women from the Yolngu people from North East Arnhem Land. Written by the Gay’wu group of women, which includes Pearson’s mother and aunties, Pearson read Song Spirals cover to cover in one sitting. “This is probably one of the most important books that everybody in Australia should read, and it needs to be translated in every form possible,” she said. Much of what has been published on songlines is about the role of men singing the ancient traditions, while little has been shared about women’s song spirals, which are more like crying or keening. “… they spiral out and spiral in, they go up and down, round and round, forever. Our songs are not a straight line. They do not move in one direction through time and space,” the book says. A graduate of NAISDA Dance College, Pearson decided to use her skills to translate Song Spirals into performance. Four years later, the show includes recordings made on country, contemporary music and projections, together with the movements of four contemporary dancers. It premieres at the Darwin Festival in August, with hopes that it will later go on tour. “I’m really excited to be able to share it with people in the NT first, it’s important that family can access it first,” Pearson told AAP. Pearson, who grew up between the Yolŋu communities of Yirrkala and Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem Land, said it was vital to develop the performance on country. With her husband, composer and sound designer Andrew Grimes of the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Pearson recorded elders singing their song spirals, which are also known as Milkarri. At first, the aunties and grandmothers didn’t understand why Pearson wanted to record them: Milkarri are part of ceremony and not made for performance. But then the women began asking the couple to record their Milkarri, and even providing recordings of relatives who had passed on, said Pearson. It was a development that gave the project an extra layer of significance. “It’s just so important to have the works mixed and mastered so that the voices are heard really clearly – it’s like having that person again a part of their lives, which is incredible,” she said. Thanks to the project, the Milkarri are being preserved and shared with family, as well as with places like Yolnju radio, which broadcasts across Arnhem Land and into Darwin. The performance also features video projections of East Arnhem Land, with images of fire, Koel birds, paperbarks and pandanus, created by Darwin video artist Naina Sen. Pearson’s relatives are “super excited” about the show, and are travelling from East Arnhem Land for the premiere on Tuesday night, while some of the authors of Song Spirals are travelling from Sydney. During the final preparations to stage the dance at Darwin’s historic Brown’s Mart Theatre, Pearson sounds satisfied that the piece is ready to go. “It’s quite a beautiful blend of traditional Milkurri with classical contemporary style, it’s incredible,” she said. Song Spirals runs Tue 6 till Sun 11 August at Brown’s Mart Theatre in Darwin. The Darwin Festival runs August 8-25. Source link via The Novum Times

[anniekoh]

Yirrkala

Step into a whirlpool off the north coast of Australia. With an artist from Yirrkala as your guide, you’ll be urged to watch the water’s swirling patterns and witness the ancestral powers that lie beneath its surface. Meditations on environmental cycles and our connections to them prevail in art from Yirrkala. Living amid stingybark (eucalyptus) forests, artists use bark as canvases and local earth pigments as paint to bring sacred designs carrying ancient knowledge into view. Diamond shapes may convey fire, honey, or the turbulent water surrounding the plunge of a crocodile. In a recent innovation, artists transform discarded metal into canvases filled with glimmering fields of pattern. Moving images created by Yirrkala’s talented media artists are also on view.

Mundukul at Baraltja (detail), 2008, Gunybi Ganambarr, Australian Aboriginal, Ngaymil clan, Yangunbi, Northeast Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, b. 1973, natural pigments on eucalyptus bark, 68 1/8 x 29 15/16 in., Promised gift of Margaret Levi and Robert Kaplan.

ALSO this article

The Yolngu Matha word "Murrŋiny" has been defined in English as "iron and steel", but the team behind a new exhibition in Darwin of the same name said it was also commonly used as an exclamation meaning "sharp" or "deadly".

... Traditional designs have been scratched onto pieces of water tank and discarded road signs, including one warning viewers they are on Aboriginal land.

[seewetter]

Mythic Creatures by Culture & Region

Part 1: Indigenous Australia & the Indigenous Americas

The other day, I made a list of mythic creatures, mostly based on Wikipedia. I decided to try and sort this list by regions & cultures, as one does.

Note: This list is a pretty complete accounting of beings that Wikipedia documents, not of indigenous words for unverified beings in general. Just as the linked list above mentions, Wikipedia has a more complete list of deities, stories about ghosts and lake monsters or sea monsters.

I am still pondering how to deal with this list, both in order to avoid its abuse (and be responsible about its inclusions) and in order to make it a genuinely helpful list for writers and artists to make art that can steer clear of the usual "I turned the Quileutes into shapeshifters and the actual Quileute received no support from me even now that I am a RUFBA (rich and famous bestselling author)".

Australia

Aboriginal Australian

Wikipedia is terrible about Aboriginal Australian cultures and often doesn't document which culture something comes from. Edit: Thanks to the Wiki article "List of Australian Aboriginal mythological figures" I was able to list a few more figures and beings from aboriginal Australia.

Southeast Australia (New South Wales):

Bundjalung people (in New South Wales)

Dirawong

Gandangara people (in New South Wales)

Gurangatch, Mirragañ

Gamilaraay people (in New South Wales)

Baiama/Baayami, Bahloo/Baaluu, Birrahgnooloo/Birrangulu, Daramulum/Dharramalan, Ganhanbili, Kabbitha/Kubbitha, Mungoon-Gali, Ouyouboolooey, Wurrunna, Yhi/Yaraay/Yaay

Yuin people (in New South Wales)

Dulagal (predatory child-eater with red eyes, no neck and a long forehead, and walking "from side to side")

Northern Australia (Northern Territory)

Kunapipi (cross-cultural myth in Northern Australia, likely with Indonesian origins), Malingee (cross-cultural myth for Arrernte and Pitjantjatjara and others), Tjilpa-men (significant mythic figures in Arrernte, Anmatyerre, Kaytetye, Ngalia, Ilpara and Kukatja stories. Tjilpa is the Arrernte word for quoll), Manuriki (allegedly a god of beauty, has no wiki page), Mimi (fae of Arnhem Land. Definitely a part of Bininj culture (based on the fact that the picture of a Mimi shown on Wikipedia is drawn by a Bininj artist) but probably also other cultures in Arnhem land, such as the Yolngu and Maung), Ngiṉṯaka (giant lizard of Aṉangu and Pitjantjatjara folklore, like the lizard Adnoartina of Diyari lore Ngiṉṯaka is associated with Uluru), Onur (allegedly a Karraur lunar deity, but neither Onur nor Karraur have wiki pages), Wawalag (cross-cultural story across all of Arnhem land) 2 sisters (1 who gives birth) who get swallowed by Yulunggur the Rainbow Serpent who smells the blood of the newborn), Yulunggur (smells blood, lives in a waterhole, controls thunder and lightning and uses his control of the weather in the story of the Wawalag to hunt the women -- after he swallows them he sings their songs, he also regurgitates them and devours them again and finally they turn to stone, see Wawalag page on Wikipedia)

Anindilyakwa people

Ipilja-ipilja (100ft gecko of Anindilyakwa myth. Adorned with hairs and whiskers. Spews swamp water to make the clouds of the sky, thunder is ipilja-ipilja's roaring. Ipilja-ipilja's home is a swamp filled with deadly waters. Similar to legends of maratji by Tiwi and Iwaidja people)

Arrernte people

Altjira, Ankotarinja, Inapertwa (simple ancestral beings formed into all plants, birds, animals and later humans), Karora, Mangar-kunjer-kunja, Wambeen (evil lightning-hurling figure who targets travellers), Yee-Na-Pah (a thorny devil spirit girl who marries and echidna spirit man)

Binbinga people

Bobbi-bobbi (serpent of heaven, supplied humanity with flying foxes for food, gave them one of his ribs as 1st boomerang, which humans hurled at him and caused bobbi-bobbi to abandon helping humanity), Ulanji (snake god who travelled the land, at every stop in his travels giving rise to spirits which turns these places into mungai (totem animal spots).

Erathipa, a boulder that has the shape of a pregnant woman (also Warumungu story)

Bininj people

Garkain the Recluse (leathery-winged predatory being whose victim's souls are forced to forever wander the vast jungles of their final resting place), Mamaragan/Namarrkon (sacred being that for the dry season takes the form of grasshoppers and attracts aljurr (“Leichardt’s grasshopper”) during thunderstorms -- Mamaragan sits on clouds and causes the thunder and lightning), Wurugag and Waramurungundi (the first people -- Waramurungundi is said to have given birth to all living things and taught humanity their languages), Yawyawk (shape-shifting mermaids who live in waterholes, freshwater springs, and rock pools, cause the weather and are related by blood or through marriage (or depending on the tradition, both) to the rainbow serpent Ngalyod).

Diyari people

Adnoartina (the lizard guard of Uluru)

Iwaidja people

Maratji (see Tiwi section below)

Jawoyn people

Barraiya (creator of the first vagina), Eingana (goddess of death & rainbow snake whose body during the rainy season releases birds, snakes, animals, plants and children and whose body is connected with a sinew to all living things which keeps them alive)

Murrinh-Patha people

Nogomain (god who made himself from nothingness and is responsible for the birth of beautiful and good children or the finding of honey), Tjinimin (short-nosed bat god who lost his nose after hanging upside down in a tree to long, sulking because he wasn't allowed to have sex with the Green Parrot-girls, daughters of the Rainbow Serpent Kunmanggur).

Tiwi people

Maratji (lizards guarding waterholes, cause floods, thunderstorms when intruded upon -- resemble ipilja-ipilja), Papinijuwari (a type of one-eyed giant which feeds on the bodies of the dead and the blood of the sick), Wuriupranili (sun goddess, almost identical to the Yolngu sun goddess Walu's myth, though Wikipedia doesn't mention Wuriupranili having a daughter)

Warlpiri people

Bluetongue Lizard (elderly trickster), Minawara and Multultu

Warumungu people

Erathipa, a boulder that has the shape of a pregnant woman (also Binbinga story)

urkulu nappaurinnia (snake god, father of all snakes, miles long, urkulu nappaurinnia is the safer name to use in public, because if it's actual name is invoked to much it spells disaster)

Yolngu people

Bamapana (trickster spirit that causes discord), Banaitja (creator deity), Barnumbirr (creator goddess), Djang'kawu (3 creator gods, siblings), Galeru (rainbow snake who swallowed the Djang'kawu), Julunggul, Mokoi (wicked spirit that kills sorcerers who use black magic, also kidnaps and eats children), Walu (sun goddess who carries a torch from east to west each day...once accompanied by her daughter Bara, but parted ways when it became obvious that the Earth became too hot), Wuluwaid/Wuluwait (rain god),

Northeast Australia (Queensland)

Anjea (fertility goddess, according to a dubious source originating at the Pennefather River... whose inhabitants appear to have been genocided or at least disappeared. Apparently Anjea is part of a religion that involves rebirth and the goddess carries souls with them between their death and rebirth. Souls stay with Anjea for years and Anjea makes babies and places them inside wombs.)

Gaiya (a dingo of the Dreaming, larger than the tree tops who hunts humans is reborn and then domesticated to become the friendly ("man's best friend") dingos of today, story from lower Cape York Peninsula -- there's a picture book about the myth by a Lardil artist called Giant Devil Dingo, but there are more than 30 language groups in Cape York Peninsula & I have no idea whether the story is only told among the Lardil people)

Min Min light a will-o-wisp like light phenomenon in Cloncurry area (may come from folklore of the Mitakoodi, Kalkadoon and Pitta Pitta aboriginal people)

Yarri (tree-climbing predatory animal along the Herbert River (possibly part of the myths of speakers of the Warrgamay language or Warrongo language)).

Kabi Kabi people

Dhakhan (god, giant serpent with tail of giant fish, lives in waterholes, shapeshifts into rainbow to travel between waterholes, creator of the serpents/snakes that live in waterholes)

Kuku Buyunji people

Yalungur (eagle or hawk, castrated to make the first woman)

Kuuku-Ya'u people

I'wai (culture hero, represented as a crocodile in the Dreaming and as a human, brings the Kuuku-Ya'u people of Cape York Peninsula their religious rites and ceremonies)

South Australia

Bunyip (said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes)

Adnyamathanha people

Akurra (snake deity), Bila (cannibal sun goddess)

Kaurna people

Tjilbruke (man of the Dreaming who through his actions creates parts of the landscape and upon his death becomes a wading bird -- in some stories an ibis, in others a crane, etc.)

Ngarrindjeri people

Kondole (Ramindjeri group among the Ngarrindjeri tell of how a man named Kondole was speared -- his attackers became animals and birds, while Kondole became the first whale and the spear wound his blowhole), Mar'rallang (twin sisters with identical names, whose lover becomes the planet Mars), Minka Bird foretells death, Muldjewangk (water spirit or spirits), Thardid Jimbo (cannibal giant), Whowie (six-legged seven-meter long frog-headed goanna who menaces people by the Murray River)

Possibly Ngarrindjeri

Kinie Ger is a character from the Dreaming: like the quoll (which is a small fox-like animal that Kinie Ger's head and chest resemble) Kinie Ger is a vicious and manipulative creature, but he has humans hands and arms, legs and feet and he uses human weapons to torment and kill the other people of the Dreaming. Kinie Ger murders children (who are of the Dreaming, meaning they are both child animals and human children) to torment their parents and he will target many other people too. When Kinie Ger finally got his comeuppance and was killed, the shy and tiny quoll came from Kinie Ger's corpse. While the story is recorded by David Unaipon (of the Ngarrindjeri people), Unaipon (who is on the Australian 50$ bill) traveled all over Australia collecting aboriginal stories from other cultures (such as the Arrernte) -- because Unaipon didn't mark which culture the story came from (but does sometimes remark "this story came from X culture") I have the suspicion this is a Ngarrindjeri story, but I could be totally off the mark.

Yara-ma-yha-who, monstrous bloodsucking dwarf, first recorded by David Unaipon, so possibly Ngarrindjeri in origin, but potentially from a totally different part of Australia (see Kinie Ger).

Tasmania

Moinee (creator deity who created humanity, child of the sun Parnuen and Vena the moon), Droemerdene (Moinee's twin brother), Rageowrapper (spirit of winds, who brings diseases)

Southeast Australia (state of Victoria)

Baiame (culture hero of the Wonnarua, Kamilaroi, Guringay, Eora, Darkinjung, and Wiradjuri peoples), Daramulum (son of Baiame, shapeshifting sky god portrayed as emu-tailed, among above-mentioned cultures and central to the religion of the Yuin nation), Lo-an-tuka, wife of Loo-errn and Loo-errn, spirit ancestor and guardian of the Brataualung people and ancestor to the Bunurong people -- Loo-errn transformed the Black Swan girls (the Koonawara sisters) into nasty beings by cursing them, then chased them across the sky, incidentally bringing granite formations into existence beneath them; Thinan-malkia, evil spirit who captures victims with nets that entangle their feet and is not attributed to any specific culture on Wikipedia; Tiddalik is a frog who drank all the water in the land, and had to be made to laugh to regurgitate it (the legend is widespread, but the Gunai people, one of the groups that tell the story, are often attributed as the authors of the Tiddalik story)

Gunai people

Nargun, fierce half-human, half-stone creature

Kulin nation

Balayang (bat god, brother to Bunjil), Binbeal (rainbow god, son of Bunjil), Bunjil (eaglehawk god), Karatgurk (the Pleiades in the stories of the Kulin's nations member group, the Wurundjeri people -- there are 7 Karatgurk sisters, but the Pleiades haven't been 7 stars since 100,000 years ago), Waang (trickster, culture hero, god, ancestral being, represented as a crow, involved in the Karatgurk story)

Wemba Wemba people

Bunyip (creature said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes)

Wotjobaluk people

Gnowee (sun goddess who began as mortal woman that climbed into the sky with a torch to find her lost son, similar to Wuriupranili)

Western Australia

Karajari people

Bagadjimbiri (creator gods, two brothers who arose as dingoes, created sex organs from mushrooms and another fungus for the androgynous first humans and eventually became snakes and wandered into the sky), Dilga (fertility and growth goddess and mother of the Bagadjimbiri, when her sons were killed she drowned their murder spot in her milk and brought them back to life), Ngariman (quoll-man and enemy of the Bagadjimbiri, he was killed by drowning in the milk of their mother Dilga)

Luritja people

(Content Warning: sexual assault) Julana (god of wrongdoing, burrows through the sand to leap out and rape people), Njirana (a god and Julana's father)

Mandjindja people

(Content Warning: sexual assault) Kidili (a villain of the Dreaming whose attempts at raping women were thwarted by the Wati-kutjara brothers, who castrated him and taught him his wrongdoings -- the women got away and became the Pleiades)

Noongar people

Wagyl (rainbow serpent, lifegiving force)

WDCB (Western Desert Cultural Block)

Wirnpa - rainmaking snake, created the land around Percival Lakes (Martu people live there) during the Dreaming

Worrora cultural bloc

Wondjina mouthless cloud and rain spirits, associated with a rainbow serpent figure

Wunambal people

Ungud (fertility god, represented as snake or rainbow, sometimes male, sometimes female, sometimes androgynous, controls rainfall and monsoons, also associated with the widespread figure of Kunapipi)

North, Central & South America, Larger Indigenous Groupings

(I put the Muisca on this list because archaeologists argue over whether Muisca were an Empire or not when the Spanish arrived -- it struck me that indigenous groups that number in the millions or had large historic impact should be listed separately to emphasize either the large number of myths or their telling absence: either Wikipedia is ignoring their folklore or settlers have destroyed a lot of culture, likely both.)

Keep in mind that many of the listed "creatures" are actually wiki pages, not the names of the creatures.

Cross-Cultural

Coyote_Native; Deer Woman; Horned Serpent; Native Fairies (not a wiki page, instead an article online); Piasa; Rain Bird; Thunderbird; Transformer; Wechuge; Werewolf

Abenaki and Mi'qmak

Abenaki & Mi'kmaq beings; Apotamkin; Ask-wee-da-eed (Algonquin Abenaki not to be confused with the Algonquin dialect of Anishinaabemowin); Ato-sees (Algonquin Abenaki not to be confused with the Algonquin dialect of Anishinaabemowin) (possibly identical to Atosis); Azeban; Jenu; Jipijka'm; Kee-wakw; Kukwes; Odziozo (Algonquin Abenaki); Pamola

Anishinaabe

Aayaase; Baykok (Ojibwe); Elbow witches (Ojibwe); Memegwaans ; Memegwaanswag; Mishipeshu (Ojibwe); Mudjekeewis (Ojibwe); Nanabozho (Ojibwe); Wendigo (see linked page for information)

Aymara

Anchanchu

Aztec (mythic creatures mostly of either the Nahua peoples or the Mexica empire)

Ahuizotl killed one of Hernan Cortez' men; Chaneque; Cihuateteo; Cipactli; Death (wiki article with a section on Aztec beliefs about personified Death); Double-headed serpent; Feathered Serpent; Kukulkan; Mixtecatl; Nagual; Otomitl; Quetzalcoatl; Quinametzin; Tepēyōllōtl; Teyolía; The Stinking Corpse (giant); Tlahuelpuchi (Mexican state of Tlaxcala with deep roots in Nahua culture); Tlanchana (not Aztec but Matlatzinca); Tzitzimitl; Ulmecatl; Xelhua; Xicalancatl; Xiuhcōātl

Guarani

Aguara, among Ava Guarani (also among Chane); Ao Ao; Caipora; Curupira; Giant Water Lily Legend; Iara; Jasy Jatere; Kurupi; Luison; Maní; Mapinguari; Mbói Tu'ĩ; Moñái; Muiraquitã; Pombero; Teju Jagua

Iroquois

Awes-kon-wa (specifically Mohawk); Flying Head; Gaoh; Hé-no also among Seneca; Iroquois Myths; Jogah

Lakota

Anpao; Čanotila; Čhápa (allegedly Lakota beaver spirit according to a wiki stub page); Heyoka; Iktomi; Iya; Unhcegila; Untunktahe; Wakinyan

Mapuche

Anchimayen; Cherufe; Chonchon; Coi-coi vilu; Cola Pesce; Gualicho; Ngen; Nguruvilu; Pillan; Piuchén; Ten-ten vilu; Titivillus; Trentren Vilu and Caicai Vilu; Wekufe

Maya

Alux; Camazotz; Feathered Serpent; Qʼuqʼumatz; Vision Serpent; Wayob; Xtabay; Yum Kaax; Zipacna

Muisca

Guahaioque

Navajo

Anaye ; Chindi; Coyote_Navajo (not identical to Coyote_Native); Skin-walker; Yeii

Quechua

Amaru; Amarum; Chullachaki; Muki

NDN / First Nations Smaller Groups North, Central, South America

Cross-Cultural

Alicanto (Atacama desert in Chile); Amala a giant who holds the world; Chaná myths; Swan Maiden; Urayuli; World Turtle; Yacumama (Ashaninka but from Quechua); Yacuruna (all across the Amazon); Yahui Mixtecan; Yehasuri Catawba; Abúhukü (Cubeo people, but this one doesn't have a wiki page, iirc)

Algonquin

Chenoo

Cahuilla

Muut

Chane

Aguara, also among Ava Guarani

Cherokee

Ani Hyuntikwalaski; Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï; Moon-eyed people; Nun'Yunu'Wi; Nûñnë'hï; Spearfinger; Trahlyta; Tsul 'Kalu; Yacumama ; Tlanusi

Chickasaw

Creator: Ababinili (a god, not really a "creature" -- but Wikipedia in its infinite non-racist wisdom lists Ababinili in the creature category); Panti'

Chilote

Basilisco Chilote; Caballo marino chilote; Caleuche; Chilote Creatures; Imbunche; Pincoy; Pincoya; Sirena chilota; Trauco

Chinook-Wawa

Skookum

Choctaw

Choctaw myths

Chukchi

Ke'le ; Ke'let; Krachai; Kutkh

Cree

Mannegishi

Crow

Awwakule mischevious little people also known as Little People of the Pryor Mountains (they have 2 wiki articles, the one for "Little People of the Pryor Mountains" has way more detail than the one for "Awwakule". Yikes)

Cuiba, Colombia & Venezuela

Kayeri

Haida

Gonakadet

Halkomelem

Seelkee

Kawaiiso

Haakapainiži

Kwakwaka'wakw

Bakwas; Dzunuḵ̓wa (also among Nuu-chah-nulth folklore); Sisiutl

Lenape

Rainbow Crow

Lushootseed

Ayahos causes earthquakes, possibly connected to earthquakes around year 900 AD

Miskito

Wihwin

Muskogee

Altamaha-ha in Georgia, U.S.A

Narragansett

Chepi

Northern Paiute

Si-Te-Cah

Nuu-chah-nulth

Andaokut; Dzunuḵ̓wa also Kwakwaka'wakw; Haietlik; Malahas; Nuu-chah-nulth mythology

Pomo

Pomo religion

Powhatan

Okeus

Rapa Nui

Aku-aku

Secwepemp

Ogopogo

Seminole

Fastachee

Seneca

Djieien; Gaasyendietha; Gaoh; Hé-no also Iroquois

Shoshone

Dzoavits; Nimerigar

Taino

Hupia; Lusca (maybe Taino?); Zemi

Talamanca

Hurricane children; Káchabuké

Tlingit

Gonakadet; Ka-Ha-Si and among Tsimshian; Kushtaka

Tupinamba

Agnen; Anhangá, also found among the Mawe, Tupi. Very upsetting to missionaries. Recognized by Bantu (Umbundu) ex-slaves.

Wampanoag

Maushop; Pukwudgie (this is listed under "Ojibwe legendary creatures" & that is the point where it should be obvious that I am not the best at understanding cultural relationships and which cultures are part of a greater whole or where Wiki categorizations may be misleading or a being part of several cultural traditions.)

Pueblo

Achiyalabopa; Ahöl Mana kachina among Hopi; Ahöla kachina among Hopi; Aholi kachina among Hopi; Ahul a Hopi god; Angak kachina among Hopi; Angwusnasomtaka kachina among Hopi; Awelo similar to kachina, derived from Spanish "abuelo" (grandfather); Blue Star Kachina; Chakwaina Hopi and Zuni; Chaveyo; Eoteto kachina among Hopi; Hú kachina among Hopi; Kachina; Kokopelli; Muyingwa; Nataska; Patung; Polik-anna; Pueblo clown; Rain Bird; Toho (kachina)

Tewa

Awanyu plumed serpent

Zuni

Achiyalatopa, possibly the same as Achiyalabopa; Átahsaia; Kyanakwe

Inuit

Adlet, Greenland / Hudson Bay coast / Labrador coast; Adlivun, spirits of the dead; Agloolik; Ahkiyyini Alaskan; Akhlut; Amaguq; Amarok; Idlirvirissong; Ijiraq; Iliamna Lake Monster; Issitoq; Kigatilik; Kikituk; Nanook; Nootaikok; Qallupilluit; Qiqirn; Tariaksuq; The Goose Wife; Tizheruk; Torngarsuk; Tupilaq

allegedly Inuit; Auvekoejak

Innu (Labrador, north Quebec); Atshen

Yu'Pik (West Alaska)

Amikuk; Negafook; Qamulek

Please feel free to let me know mistakes. That includes adding disclaimers for beings being sacred and not to be used by outsiders in art, such as with the Ojibwe wendigo.

[addictedgallery]

A portrait of Yolngu rapper and ARIA winner Baker Boy by street artist Matt Adnate has taken out the 2024 Archibald Packing Room prize.

“Starting out as a street artist, I never dreamed I would win such an honour, I’m blown away." ~ Matt Adnate

[mahgnib]

Yolngu artist Narritjun Maymuru

[yifytorrentmovies]

Download The Secret of the Magic Gourd 2007 HD/Full HD/2K/4K

Genres: Biography / Documentary

Celebrated by audiences at home and abroad, indigenous artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was one of the most important and acclaimed voices to ever come out of Australia. Blind from birth, he found purpose and meaning through songs and music inspired by his community and country on Elcho Island in far North East Arnhem Land. Living a traditional Yolngu life, his breakthrough album 'Gurrumul' brought him to a crossroads as audiences and artists around the world began to embrace his music. GURRUMUL is a portrait of an artist on the brink of global reverence, and the struggles he and those closest to him faced in balancing that which mattered most to him and keeping the show on the road.

[akajustmerry]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mob be warned this post contains the image and name of the dead. 

Mandhalpuyngu actor, artist and elder David Dalaithngu has passed away at 68 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. Dalaithngu’s family have given permission for his photo to be used, asking that he be known as David Dalaithngu in death in accordance with traditional Yolngu bereavement practices.

David Dalaithngu was a titan of cinema, shaping and paving the way for Blakfella representation on the silver screen until his death. For many around the world, Dalaithngu was the first Aboriginal they ever saw on screen. Known and beloved internationally for his role in Crocodile Dundee, Dalaithngu shot to fame as a teenager in 1971 when he played a lone youth walking the outback as a rite of passage in Walkabout. His final role was in the 2019 film Storm Boy.

Vale, Uncle David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu (1953 – 2021)

[bustedpixels]

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this post contains images of a person who is deceased.

‘David Dalaithngu AM has gone to his ancestral homeland. An actor, dancer, artist, of the Yolngu, from Arnhem Land, across five decades he hugely shaped Australian cinema and Aboriginal representation on screen. Rest in Peace.’

[sonofanumbranwitch]

How Bayonetta Inspires My Craft: Dancing, Fighting, and Physical Fitness.

I get writers block a lot which is why it’s taken me so long to make to this next post talking about my craft. Today I’m going to be discussing what not a lot of people may think about when it comes to witchcraft, physical fitness and exercise. When it comes to typical topics of witchcraft the focus tends to be on the metaphysical, and the spiritual. But I have always found that taken care of my physical body has always been paramount to how I conduct my craft.

There is a direct link between the health of our physical bodies and our own mental well-being. Regular exercise release endorphins which help to power our minds and can help with the negative effects of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. And I’ve found that those effects are even more effective when I incorporate aspects of the craft into my exercise routine. And a lot of that, again, is thanks to our girl Bayonetta

Bayonetta is pretty unique in the world of pop-culture when it comes to depictions of witches. Most witches, and magic users in general, are portrayed as scholarly types. They use their magic from a distance and focus on increasing their knowledge base of magic over prioritizing their physical bodies. But Bayonetta takes this trend and stomps it into the dirt by being a magical witch who is also a brawler. While her guns are capable of doing damage from a distance her primary form of fighting is through kicking and punching. And she does this with such style it almost appears as if she’s dancing on the battle field.

Dancing has a lot of relation to spiritual practice in many cultures. And dance movement therapy has been formally recognized as a therapeutic practice since the 1940’s.  Many cultures practice spiritual dancing for prominent life events such as the mourning dances practiced by the Yolngu people of northern Australia. Dance can be an emotional release when words fail us. Allowing ourselves to be lost in movement and to embrace our bodies moving in a way that we don’t usually let them.

One of my favorite ways to exercise is just to blast Bayonetta’s soundtrack and just dance. And recently I’ve been wanting to sign of for a pole fitness class (unfortunately there are none even remotely in my area).  Bayonetta’s pole dancing is empowering because it’s something she choices to do for herself in much the same way that many more people are picking up pole fitness as a form of healthy living and body positivity.

But Bayo isn’t just a dancer, she’s a fighter. This is actually where she inspires me in my fitness journey the most as I’m a martial artist myself. I’m currently first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Bayonetta was a huge inspiration for me reaching this point. Bayo’s fighting style is a heavy mix of powerful punches and kicks much like Tae Kwon Do. And whenever I was feeling depressed or frustrated during my training, watching the beautiful way Bayo moved helped me to stay motivated. My journey to being a black belt was actually very challenging as I was moving around a lot during this time. I had to find new schools every time I moved and often had to start back from white belt under that school’s system. But Bayo kept me inspired to keep going, and Moon River, and Fly Me To the Moon are some of my favorite training tracks to this day.

Now while we never see Bayo practicing this form of exercise really per say, I would be remised if I didn’t bring up this exercise in a post talking about my craft. I’m currently in the process of getting certified as a yoga instructor. Yoga has so many ties to the metaphysical and spiritual that I could literally do a whole post talking about all it encompasses.

I’ve developed a lot of my own spiritual practices around my yoga practice. The highlights for me as far as my practice is how yoga has helped me with my flexibility training. I’m still working on my splits training and yoga with its use of stretching helps to open the body. I do a lot of yin yoga witch consists of a lot of long held deep stretches. It’s the slow and healing that balances my martial arts practice’s fast a destructive. I also love to do balance work like handstands because balancing forces you to ground yourself in the current moment. Yoga helps me find balance in my craft between the nurturing and restorative with the defensive and loud aspects of my craft.

And all of this is wrapped in how I see bayonetta as a character. She is someone who is power exceptionally powerfully, but she is not without her softer side. She can come off as imposing because of her strength and the air of confidence she carries herself with. But she has shown to be nurturing and protective of those who need it. She has shown moments of vulnerability, but remains resolute through out her trials. She encompasses all I want to have in my own self-image. That balance of the strong with the soft.

[mybeingthere]

Nyapanyapa Yunupingu (Aboriginal Australian,1945–2021)  

"Nyapanyapa's best form of communication is her art. This is because she is deaf, doesn’t speak English, is otherwise not that verbal, doesn't belong to a culture which believes it is necessary to talk at length about art unless in regard to its sacred character, doesn't paint sacred art, does not have a sense of herself as an individual as distinct from her kinship group, does not have a sense of herself as an important artist, and does not have an interest in talking about herself." - 

said Will Stubbs, Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Art Centre coordinator, said of Yunupingu and her art.

Nyapanyapa Yunupingu (1945 – 20 October 2021) was an Australian Yolngu painter and printmaker who lived and worked in the community at Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory. Yunupingu created works of art that drastically diverge from the customs of the Yolngu people and made waves within the art world as a result. Due to this departure from tradition within her oeuvre, Yunupingu's work had varying receptions from within her community and the broader art world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyapanyapa_Yunupingu

[newguineatribalart]

Aboriginal artist Birrikitji Gumana

Birrikitji Gumanas birth date is often incorrectly given as 1898, but he was much older than that. He recalled how he had discovered the bodies of the Yolngu killed by a police party at the Gangan massacre that happened around 1911. When the Yirrkala mission station started in 1935 he was already well into middle age. He was a man of enormous authority and a leader of Yirritja moiety ceremonies.

[eirikrjs]

So I've been researching the Yolngu people of northern Australia, and I learned that Mokoi (or Mokuy) and Yurlungur specifically come from their religious beliefs. Information is scant, so I was wondering if you could answer whether Yurlungur had two heads in Yolngu beliefs/art, or if that was just Kaneko's idea. (Also, I learned that Mokoi aren't just spirits of the Dead, but can be creator deities as well, but that's unrelated.)

Mokuy.. this brings me back to the mystery demon days.

https://www.sea.museum/2018/02/14/spirit-figures-from-arnhem-land

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/essay/lipundja-and-unknown-yolngu-artist-mokuy-figures/

Yeah, that seems to be it considering a lot of what Mizuki saw at the Osaka Museum of Ethnology was from Arnhem Land, and then Kaneko saw from Mizuki.

The mystery demons article could use an update then, since I don't think we covered the Mokuy spelling (actually we linked to the second article above but didn't mention the correct spelling, oops). Also never updated Raksha Lango!

And I honestly don't know about Yurlungur. I just don't have any sources that cover it. If you find them, send them to me!

[pynkhues]

Hi Sophie! What kind of music do you like? I’ve been curious

I can tell you straight off the top of my head that I love Beyonce, Alabama Shakes, Dolly Parton, Fall Out Boy, Laura Marling, Cardi B, Kesha, and so many others! 

But! As my Spotify will tell you, haha, I actually mostly listen to Australian music, because Australia has a bonkers-good music scene, and I hope you don’t mind me taking the opportunity to spruik it. 

(Putting it behind a cut because I’m popping in YouTube videos where I can / where tumblr will let me.)

Thelma Plum

I love, love, love Thelma Plum! She’s a First Nations singer-songwriter who has so many incredible songs on her (currently small!) backlog, but Better in Blak is just such an awesome song, and I can never recommend it highly enough.

(And double recommendation because she’s been hospitalised with coronavirus after touring and just got out the other day, so fingers crossed she stays well!)

Jack River

Great, fun, indie rock! She’s a gem!

Baker Boy

I’ve always enjoyed Baker Boy’s music, but I actually worked with him at one of my freelance writing gigs last year, and he was just a GEM in so many ways, plus a dream to work with on a difficult job, and it’s meant I’ll spruik him forever, haha. He’s an incredible dude, and an awesome artist. He often raps, as he does in the above video, half in English, and half in Yolngu Matha. 

Plus he puts out some straight bangers, like this one! 

Josh Pyke

Josh Pyke is musically so folksy, and - - I don;t know. I’ve always loved his stuff, and I’ve seen him a few times live and this song will forever be one of my favourites. I just love the idea of locking away from the world with someone you love, and this song encompasses that ten-fold.

The Waifs

This is a bit of a relatively old-school Australian folk group, but my mum and my aunt used to play them a lot for me growing up, and I just really love them. In particular, Lighthouse was always a song that meant a lot to me, I think in no small part because of this lyric: 

Lighthouse man can't help us allSome he'll save and some will fallHe'll show you where the danger liesBut he can't help it if you capsizeSteer your own ship back to shoreHe'll light your way but that is all 

Sampa the Great

Amazingly, one of her songs actually was on Good Girls this season! I died a little in the best way! Sampa the Great is an awesome artist, and one you should totally jump on. 

Missy Higgins

And sure, she’s not for everyone, but her cover of NYE is probably one of my favourite songs of all time, and has meant so much to me over the years. I’d listen to it, if you can. 

What songs do you guys love?