Kulabbarl (Billabong), 4610-16

Kulabbarl is what we Bininj (Aboriginal people) call a billabong, wherethe flow of a river is blocked and builds up in the rain. Lots of fish areconcentrated there, especially when the water starts to recede in thedry season. Michael has painted a big namarnkol (barramundi), burd(bream), wakih (freshwater yabby) and borlokko (water python).Theleaves belong to mandem, the waterlily.

Michael paints in the classic kunwinjku style of single-line rarrk(hatching). The namarnkol has also been painted in x-ray style, with its bones and internal organs showing. This is the same way kunwinjkuartists have painted on the rock walls that surround Gunbalanya for thousands of years.

Manbu kulabbarl ngarriyime bu kudjewk mandjewk nawern kadjakdungwanjh kabore kore mankabo. Wanjh bu kabongurdme kabodadjmewanjh kamarnbun manlabbarl. Kumekke djenj kadjaldi kore kulabbarl.Kulabbarl karri djenj yiman burd marrngunj wakih kedjebe ngalmangiyikore kulabbarlyahwurd. Dja kore kulabbarlkimuk ngarrire ngarrimangnamarnkol kuluybirr manmakkawarri yika ngarrinan kinga kayo korekulabbarl. Dja kani manimunak djilikuybi dja nawern nawu mayhmayhkani kore kulabbarl.

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 the NT desert. 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.

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Michael Naborlhborlh grew up in Gunbalanya and is a founding member of Injalak Arts. Michael was one of the original screenprinters at Injalak, working alongside Gabriel Maralngurra, Ted Naborlhborlh, Neville Namarnyilk, Kennedy Girrabul, Harold Nayinggul, Laurie Nadjamerrek and Ray Young. They set up the screenprinting facility with adult educator Wendy Kennedy in a shed across the road from the council office. When the Injalak building was constructed in 1989, they moved over. At this point he also became more heavily involved in painting and began leading tours of Injalak Hill.
Michael has worked as a ranger for Warddeken at Manmoyi and Kabulwarnamyo. He worked in bushfire prevention and feral pig culling. He then worked with the outstation resource centre Demed, providing support to outstations with activities such as food deliveries, road building and house construction. From 2009 he worked with Earth Connect and Territory Alliance constructing houses in Gunbalanya.
Michael paints in the classic kunwinjku style of single-line rarrk (hatching) that has been practised on the rock walls of west Arnhem Land for centuries. Michael has a well-honed sense of composition and form, and his meticulous rarrk imparts
an almost shimmering quality to his paintings. Michael can be found painting under the verandah at Injalak most days or leading tours up Injalak hill during the dry season.