Kulabbarl (Billabong), 5396-16

Michael has painted Kulabbarl scene which is what we Bininj (Aboriginal people) call a billabong, where the flow of a river is blocked and builds up in the rain. Lots of fish are concentrated there, especially when the water starts to recede in the dry season. In the centre of the image is a kumoken (freshwater crocodile). We use two names for the freshwater crocodile - “kumoken” and “modjarrki”. Kumoken is the long nosed crocodile, different from the short nosed kinga (saltwater crocodile). They don't bite people. They eat small prey such as rats, fish, prawns and frogs. Swimming beside the kumoken is namarnkol (barramundi) and namarddakka (nailfish).

Michael paints in the classic kunwinjku style of single-line rarrk (hatching). The billabong creatures have been painted in x-ray style,with their bones and internal organs showing. This is the same waykunwinjku artists have painted on the rock walls that surround Gunbalanya for thousands of years.

ngarringeybun bokenh kunngey, birribuyika kabirri-ngeybun modjarrkki,kumoken - nakka kebyahwurd - minj kinga. Nakka kebdjumbung.Kumoken minj kanbaye - larrk. Kumoken karrinan kubolkwarlahkenkubolkwern, kumoken karrinan kore kahbo-rlobme, dja kore kaddumkore kuwardehwarde. karrinan kakukdayo kore manwodj kukorlhkuwardde dja kore kukadjid, Kumuken kayo kore kukku kubowinjku,kore manlabbarl, mankabo. Kumuken kangun nawu mayh kilekilelh,mulbbu, djenj, wakih, kordbolbok. Kumuken namak mayh bungarringun. Korroko dabborrabbolk birribuni, birrikerribuni, wanjh

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.

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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.