Buku-Larrngay Mulka Arts
Buku-Larrngay Mulka Arts operates at Yirrkala, in Arnhem Land, for the Yolngu people. Yirrkala artists work with traditional materials - bark, hollow logs and natural pigments - and in a finely worked, intricate style of cross-hatched areas interspersed with human and animal forms.
Art has long been used by the Yolngu people for political ends, one of the most famous instances being the creation of the Bark Petition in 1963 to protest the actions of Nabalco in exercising mining rights over their land. The Bark Petition is now in the collection of the Commonwealth Parliament.
More recently, a series of 80 barks was created after the discovery of an illegal barramundi fishing camp on Yolngu land, the ancient home of Baru, a creation being which took both human and crocodile form. The desecration of this sacred area was made complete by the discovery of the severed head of a crocodile at the camp.
These works have been exhibited around Australia in an attempt to teach others about Yolngu laws and beliefs.
Further information: