Carved boab nuts by Jack Wherra

Craft

boab carvings

Derby’s icon is larrkardi or the boab tree, which produces large edible nuts, the surface of which, is perfect for engraving. Worrorra elder, Jack Wherra is recognised for his intricate boab nut carving. His detailed ‘episodic panels’ presented like frames of a comic, depict historical and cultural narratives that tell the story of his people and their contribution to the pastoral industry. Some of Wherra’s boab shells have up to 12 frames on one shell.

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Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre

Waking up the spirit

Waking up the spirit of the Country through songs, dance, art and story, by sharing and teaching young people, is what the Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre does to keep their culture alive...

Address:

Gibb River Road
Derby WA 6728
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9191 1008

Email:

sales@mowanjumarts.com

Open Hours

Mon to Fri 9am - 5pm; or book group tours by calling 08 9191 1008. Entrance fee to Museum applies.

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Mowanjum Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre Overview

Winjama-Yagan Captain Cook Junba by Wattie Nerdu

Captain Cook and the West Kimberley

This totem represents the boat (Winjama) and sails of Captain Cook’s ship on arrival in Australia. Worrorra songman, Wattie Nerdu, dreamt and composed this junba at Old Mowanjum in 1963. Presenting...

Baroonggool, totems from the sea eagle Junba by Sam Woolagoodja

Celebrating the sea eagle

“When we dance we stamp the ground waking up the spirit. The sounds of the clapsticks echo through the Country and the spirit comes up when they hear it.” Worrorra songman and leader Sam Woolagoodja...