Jeremiah has painted benuk (bush turkey), a bird which lives in the forest and on the flood plain, which we eat. In the old days, the Old People didn't give us any bush turkey to eat though. They used to tell us we don't eat this bird, it's taboo because it's part of the Mardayin ceremony. There is a Bush Turkey Dreaming site to the west of Gunbalanya, where the Two Dogs came from. The place is called Benukkadjang, which means Bush Turkey Dreaming. The Two Dogs came over eastward from there, looking for water. They found some water and drank it, and they named the place Duruk Benengadbom, which means “two dogs dug a well”.

Benuk ngalka mayh yerrih bu ngarringun benuk karrinan kore manberrkkawake dja kabbal warridj. Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk minjngandiwoyinj ngalbu benuk bu ngarringuyinj. Ngandimarneyimi ngahlimayh benuk minj ngurringun ngaldjamun. Benuk kakarrekan ceremonymanbu Mardayin. Nawu benuk kadjangdi kore Karrikad kore durukbokenh benemdolkkang benemwam kunred kabolkngeyoBenukkadjang. Duruk bokenh benemdolkkang benemwam Koyekbenehboyawani kuku wanjh benebongalkeng kuku benebongunengbenebolkngeykurrmeng Duruk Benengadbom kabolkngeyo. (Text: Andrew Manakgu)

This painting needs to be framed or stretched. It’s also being sent direct from the artist at a remote art centre, Injalak Arts, in Arnhem Land, NT. Please note there is only one mail plane a week that takes the artwork to Gunbalanya. The tracking information is then received a week later when the mail plane returns so often the paintings are delivered before we receive the tracking information. Please expect a slightly longer wait for this very special artwork to arrive.