Description
Artist Name: Buwanana #2 Mununŋgurr
Medium: Yiriŋanin (Red Bean Tree Seeds – Adanthera Pavonina), unknown seeds. 9cm diameter when stretched out, 7cm when circular
Description
Girriŋgirriŋ is the Yolŋu word for seed or shell made jewellery, necklace or ornament.
Common materials used as beads are the seeds from plants such as Gum Tree (Eucalyptus), Rattlepod (Crotalaria), Red Bead Tree (Adenanthera pavonina), Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia), Ŋaraka (fish vertebrae) from Parrotfish, Kingfish, small Mäna (sharks) and stingray, and seashells. Gapan (white clay) and natural earth pigments are sometimes used to paint the beads.
Small seeds are pierced with a needle. Large seeds are collected and then a piece of wire is heated in a fire and used to pierce the hole. Seashells are collected at low tide on the surface of the mud amongst the mangroves. Then they are boiled, cleaned and pierced with a piece of wire.
