Ngalyod Rainbow Serpent
Ngalyod Rainbow Serpent
Artwork by Balang Nakurulk

This artwork is associated with Milmilngkan

Hear the pronunciation of Ngalyod, spoken by Zebedee Bonson
Year
2004
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta)
Dimensions
148 x 63 x 4cm
Credit
Collection of Anthony Stuart and Jane Kleimeyer, Melbourne
Copyright
© Balang Nakurulk/Copyright Agency, 2025

The Rainbow Serpent rose up at Ngandarrayo and pulled the people down into the earth, killing them all and turning them into bones. Rainbow Serpents are found at many places in both duwa and yirridjdja moiety. They live in the earth under the ground or in bodies of water at places such as Dilebang or Benedjangngarlweng. The white clay in the ground at Kudjarnngal is the faeces of the serpent. Waterlilies [at certain places] tell us that the Rainbow Serpent lives there. When the wet season storms come we can see her in the sky [as a rainbow]. She makes the rain. When we see the floodwaters of the wet season rise, we say that the Rainbow Serpent is making the electrical storms of the monsoon wet season. Rainbow Serpents are dangerous, just like crocodiles. They can kill people and other animals.

Ngalyod kure dolkang kure Buluwana benyibkeng kure djulng benhbom. Kubolkwern kare ngalyod, djang nungan karri, kubolkduwa, kubolkyirridjdja. Kanjdji kukurlk kayo, kuronj yiman Dilebang, Benedjangngarlweng. Delek kayo Kudjarnngal, kordno ngalengarre. Wayuk kakaberrkdi kamulewan ngalyod. Bu kadjakdung karrinan kaddum. Ngalengh kamarnbun mandjewk. Bu karrinan kabobidbun kudjewk karriyime ngalyod kamayhmayhke, kudjewk kahmarnbun. Ngalyod ngalbahbang, yiman namanjwarre karohrok. Bininj kabenbun, mayh kabenbun.