Nawarramulmul (Shooting Star Spirit)
Nawarramulmul (Shooting Star Spirit)
Artwork by Balang Nakurulk

See all artworks of animals and spirits

Hear the pronunciation of Nawarramulmul, spoken by Ananais Jawulba
Year
1988
Medium
earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta)
Dimensions
219.4 x 95 x 8.5cm
Credit
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, purchased with funds donated by Mr and Mrs Jim Bain, 1989
Copyright
© Balang Nakurulk/Copyright Agency, 2025

In the early evening when it starts to get dark, they appear with their eyes glowing with light. They move towards us and then disappear. Their two eyes are lit up like torchlights and they move towards us and then disappear. Nawarramulmul. They are dangerous, like Namorrorddo spirit beings. They have long toenails, like those of the Namorrorddo spirit beings. They reside in the rock country, there with the Oenpelli pythons and the birds, those animals; with the chestnut-quilled rock pigeon that calls out ‘wuhwoo’. The chestnut-quilled rock pigeon belongs to Nawarramulmul. That bird is like the bar-shouldered dove from the bush, but the bar-shouldered dove lives in the jungle while the chestnut-quilled rock pigeon lives in the rocks. When it takes off it makes a loud noise with its wings, ‘barr barr’. It flies off and goes into the rock. That bird belongs to Nawarramulmul.

Wolewolehno kangokdan kamhre mimdorrengh kabenemhre. Kamre kayakmen bonj. Kamim yiman torch kamhkan wanjh yimarnek kabebme bonj kayakmen. Bokenh kabenerung. Mimno namekke nani yina. Mimkimuk nungan. Nawarramulmul. Nabang, yiman namorrorddo karohrok. Kundengengalnjkuyeng. Yiman kayime namorrorddo. Kuwardde kayo. En nawaran. Kikkik, ngalengman ngale. Doddorok. Wuhwuuu kayime. Doddorok nuye. Name yerre doddorok, yibengkan doddorok ngalbu yiman mabarrabbarra kuk. Mabarrabbarra kukno nakang ngalengman budj. Jungle ngalk ngalbu mabarrabbarra la ngale ngalengman nane, doddorok, kuwardde ‘barrr barrr’ kayime. Kare kangimen kuwardde wanjh bonj kangimen. Nawarramulmul nuye.