Peter Marralwanga facts for kids

Peter Marralwanga (1916–1987), also known as Djakku (meaning left-handed), was a Aboriginal Australian artist known for his painting. He was a member of the Kardbam clan of the Bininj people, and spoke the Kuninjku language.

Born in 1916 in West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia, Marralwanga derived influence from Yirawala, a fellow artist and elder from his community. He is best known for his creation of paintings both on paper and bark. These works reflect the artistic practices of his elders and community with elements of ceremonial and spiritual creatures alongside the cross-hatching pattern known as rarrk. He continued his legacy by teaching younger artists of his region like his son, Ivan Namirrki, and nephew, John Mawurndjul. He is regarded as an inspirational painter from the region.

Career

Marralwanga began to paint relatively late during his mid 50s, starting around 1970. Under the guidance of Yirawala, Marralwanga began to incorporate ceremonial items in his works. Due to his age, he had gained permission from the clan to incorporate ceremonial elements and knowledge into the works of art . In Kuninjku art, much of the artistic content is sacred. The artists have strict guidelines on what they can depict in their works. Oftentimes artists who have special roles within a community receive exclusive rights to paint certain images. Marralwanga's use of rarrk also strayed from its original use for mortuary painting to ensure that traditional foods grow each season. He passed his knowledge of rarrk to a new generation of artists and served as an inspiration to their works.

While much of Marralwanga's work was derived from the ceremony, he still added elements from his own life and experience. Marralwanga described this interaction within his work between the ceremony and his personal experience saying his works were “half secret one, half ordinary one." Marralwanga's choice to explore his own experience as well as his deep ceremonial knowledge allowed him to create a diverse body of work which depicted many figures and ceremonies.

Works

• Peter Marralwanga, Kuninjku people, Ngal-Kunburriyaymi 1982
• Ngalyod, the Rainbow Serpent, at Manabinbala, 1980-81
• Mimih Spirit Dancing at Catfish Ceremony, 1979
• Kangaroo with Headdress and Spirit Figures, c. 1980s

Exhibitions

• 1981: Solo exhibition at Mary Macha at Aboriginal Traditional Arts
• 1983: Solo exhibition at Mary Macha at Aboriginal Traditional Arts
• 1989: A Myriad of Dreaming: Twentieth Century Aboriginal Art
• 1991: Aboriginal Art and Spirituality
• 2004: Crossing Country- the Alchemy of Western Arnhem Land Art