SAMUEL NAMUNJDJA
Samuel Namunjdja was born in West Central Arnhem Land in 1965. He is part of the Kuninjku language group and belongs to the Yirridjdja moiety. A member of an artistic family, Samuel was taught to paint the stories of his clan by his father, Peter Marralwanga, himself a distinguished painter.
A common theme of Samuel Namunjdja’s work is the gungurra or wind dreaming. These paintings depict not only the spiralling winds and cyclones common in Arnhem Land, but also refer to Bilwoyinj, a site near Samuel’s clan estate. Other favourite subjects are the mimi spirit figures, Ngalyod rainbow serpent and the Namarrkon lightning man. Like many younger artists, Namunjdja paints not only these traditional stories, but also looks to less sacred surroundings and everyday activities such as fishing for yabbies, and other animals and plants.
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