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The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Yolngu power: how a small Indigenous community in the Top End came to dominate Australian art
It starts with panoramic views of a small town in high-noon heat: a widescreen wrap-around video, cycling slowly from streetscapes to the town's perimeter, with glimpses of the Arafura sea and red dirt vistas. 'Slow down … walk with us,' wall text invites us. Nearby hangs a series of rusty and battered road signs etched with coruscating designs. 'Road closed due to ceremony' reads one; 'You are on the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust' reads another. This is Yirrkala: a small community in the north-eastern tip of the Top End and a huge presence in contemporary Australian art. Yolŋu artists working with Yirrkala's arts centre have been constant fixtures at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art awards (Natsiaa) for the last three decades and have been the subject of surveys at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), NGV, Australian National Maritime Museum and National Museum of Australia, as well as major international touring exhibitions. Now these artists are being celebrated at the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) in the exhibition Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala. What makes art from this part of Australia so powerful? Curator Cara Pinchbeck says it's partly the Yolŋu appetite for innovation, combined with the stable leadership of Yirrkala's arts centre, Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka, who is co-curator of the AGNSW exhibition. But mostly, Pinchbeck says, it's down to Yolŋu culture: the numerous song cycles detailing the creation stories of the various clans, and their connected designs – from which all art flows. Underpinning this is gurrutu: an all-encompassing system of connection that maps out each person's relationship to not only other people but every other thing. Even just breezing through Yolŋu Power, you get a sense of the vast richness of this culture and cosmology, across almost 300 works in a kaleidoscope of styles, mediums and subjects – from ochred bark paintings of creation stories and intricately decorated larrakitj (hollow poles) to digital projections, detailed depictions of plant life and minimalist abstractions evoking the Milky Way and the estuaries where fresh and saltwater meet. But if you take the time to really read the wall text and look at the detail of the artwork, an even richer story unfolds. It's the story of a people for whom art is inextricably enmeshed with their understanding of the universe and themselves; a community who, since the 1930s, have used art as a tool of cultural diplomacy with outsiders; and a constellation of individuals who have found ways to maintain millennia-old cultural practices, while boldly innovating for changing times. Past the panoramic video and etched road signs at the exhibition entrance, you pass through a darkened curvilinear chamber hung with a series of Rumbal (body) paintings in ochre on bark, depicting ceremonial designs from the 16 clans around Yirrkala. These designs – or miny'tji – are more than decorative: they express identity, ancestral connections, spiritual beliefs and Country itself. They are sacred and ancient. But these works were painted within the last few years, a statement that the cultural foundations and connections remain strong and vital. These miny'tji are the root of what audiences will see in the next rooms. Sometimes the patterns are in plain sight: the shimmering strings of diamonds in works by artists from Maḏarrpa and Gumatj clans, or the striations of straight and curved lines in works by Marrakulu and Rirratjiŋu artists. Sometimes they're merely hinted at – and even when they're not visible in the artwork, they're essential; the indelible cultural DNA of each maker. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Beyond the Rumbal chamber, the exhibition proceeds more or less chronologically, starting with the frontrunners who first painted these body designs on bark, adopting art as a form of cultural diplomacy with balanda/ŋäpaki (non-Yolŋu people). The exhibition closes with an explosion of dazzling innovation, including bark paintings using magenta printer-toner (by Noŋgirrŋa Marawili) and electric blue acrylic (Dhambit Munuŋgurr), and intricately etched sculptures made from mining detritus such as rubber conveyor belts and aluminium signs (by artists including Gunybi Ganambarr). Highlights include detailed and meticulous bark paintings by pioneering artist and activist Narritjin Maymuru, who contributed to the Näku Dhäruk (Yirrkala bark petitions) of 1963, which asserted Yolŋu sovereignty over land leased by the government to mining companies; and shimmering bark paintings by Djambawa Marrawili, including one from the Saltwater series that was successfully used by clans of the Blue Mud Bay area to assert sea rights in the federal court. As the exhibition proceeds, works by women proliferate, the visible shift of senior men permitting their daughters to paint their clans' miny'tji. Other women opted for everyday subjects. An entire room is given over to exquisite secular works on bark, canvas and larrakitj by female artists, including major figures such as Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu and Gulumbu Yunupiŋu. Plant life is strongly represented, with Malaluba Gumana's mesmerising paintings of dhatam (water lilies) and Djirrirra Wunuŋmurra's delicate depiction of wild yams. Mulkun Wirrpanda's illustrations of flowering vines are animated and projected over a termite-mound sculpture, in a luminous installation at the exhibition's centre. Yolŋu Power is best appreciated with a calm mind and careful attention. For best effect, start in the gallery's cavernous, subterranean Tank, where Buku's digital unit, The Mulka Project, has created an immersive installation evoking Yirrkala's changing seasons. Over 19 minutes, via a soundtrack featuring ancestral songs and field recordings from Country, and a shifting lighting palette, Yalu (Yolŋu for nest, signifying sanctuary) takes viewers through a seasonal cycle in the landscape from which Yirrkala's art flows. Slow down, breathe deeply – and then head upstairs to take a walk with this extraordinary community of artists. Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala is at Art Gallery of NSW's Naala Badu building until 6 October.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wood on fire in sizzling Darwin Supercars practice
Ryan Wood has scorched the Supercars field to set the fastest time in the first practice session in Darwin. The Walkinshaw Andretti United youngster outpaced nearest challenger Broc Feeney by more than two-tenths of a second in the Top End dry-season heat on Friday. Wood set the best lap of one minute and 7.059 seconds, with championship-leader Feeney 0.265 seconds behind and Triple Eight teammate Will Brown another hundredth of a second behind him in third. Drivers tested the limits of Hidden Valley's challenging 2.9km circuit, with several racers overshooting the long, loopy left-hander at turn one. A patch of parched grass at the end of the turn was set alight after Brown ran his Camaro off towards the end of the session. That's one for the Darwin bingo 🔥Follow along this weekend from our NEW Live Insights here 👉 #Supercars — Supercars (@supercars) June 20, 2025 With temperatures expected to run into the 30s throughout the weekend - and up to 50C inside cars - drivers' endurance will be as much of a challenge as keeping their cars running. Feeney was the first driver to run off on the first turn at the end of the 1.1km straight, but recovered to set a speedy lap time that had him at the top of the totem for most of the session. The 22-year-old won the last two races in Perth and showed promising pace as he looks to extend his 72-point gap at the top of the leaderboard at the track he won two races at last year. Teenage wildcard entrant Rylan Gray, Matt Stone Racing veteran Nick Percat and Tickford's Cam Waters also took excursions off the track on turn one, while Andre Heimgartner battled to hold onto control of his lively Camaro on several occasions. Drivers will return for the final practice session at 2.55pm (ACST) on Friday, ahead of Saturday's back-to-back qualifying sessions. Two 120km races will follow qualifying on Saturday, before the final 200km race of the weekend on Sunday.
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Couple slammed for letting kids play dangerously close to crocodile infested waters in Darwin
A couple has come under fire online after posting a video showing their children playing dangerously close to waters known to be inhabited by saltwater crocodiles. The footage was taken at the Mangrove Boardwalk, a raised aluminium walkway about 10 minutes from Darwin, which runs directly through crocodile territory. While the boardwalk is elevated and appears safe, the video shows one of the children standing on the guard rail, leaning over the edge and peering into the water. Viewers were quick to point out the serious risk. 'Wouldn't have your kid hanging over the edge like that, crocodile food,' one person commented. 'Some saltwater crocodiles are capable of leaping up to two meters,' another viewer warned. 'I wouldn't let my children hang over the rails. Have you seen how high crocodiles jump?' added another. The City of Darwin has previously warned that while the Mangrove Boardwalk is a popular attraction, the wildlife must be respected. 'Any body of water in the Top End, including Darwin Harbour, may contain large and potentially dangerous crocodiles,' a spokesperson said. 'People are advised to be crocwise and adhere to crocwise warnings at all times.' The boardwalk is designed to accommodate tidal flow, with signs warning that water levels can vary, but that hasn't stopped some visitors from underestimating the risks. Crocodiles aren't the only threat in the area. The waters around the boardwalk are also home to the world's most venomous animal, the box jellyfish, which can kill a child in minutes if enough tentacles make contact. While crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory are relatively rare, they do happen. Between 1979 and 2022, there were 76 recorded attacks, 30 per cent of them fatal. The region is home to an estimated 100,000 saltwater crocodiles.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Ten places to watch the State of Origin decider in Darwin and surrounds
The 'Decider' is set to take over the screens and minds of Top End punters tonight as the Queensland Maroons seek to level the series 1-1 in Perth against reigning shield holders NSW Blues. In what is hotly anticipated to be a firey clash, here's where you can catch the game in Darwin and surrounds. 10 Places to watch the Decider THE PRECINCT TAVERN (7 Kitchener Drive, Darwin City) The Waterfront establishment will have the clash playing on its giant lawn screen as well as all its big screen TVs throughout the venue. With plenty of food and drinks and a Qld x NSW jersey giveaway, the pub is encouraging all patrons to wear their team colours and promises a 'night to remember'. BERRY SPRINGS TAVERN (795 Cox Peninsula Rd, Berry Springs) The famous tavern will be hosting a decider party with the clash to be on every big screen. Themed cocktails will also be available – Blue Blitz and Maroon Madness. 'The drinks are cold, the screens are big, and the rivalry is real. Whether you bleed blue or maroon, BST is the place to be tonight.' HOWARD SPRINGS TAVERN (280 Whitewood Rd, Howard Springs) The 'Howdy' is going 'all out' for game 2 with their 'Wilder Wednesday'. The Tavern will host two live shows before kick-off and at halftime with 'juicy T-bones' on the menu. PALMERSTON TAVERN (1110 Chung Wah Terrace, Palmerston) Promising a complimentary drink to any patron that's dressed in team colours as well as XXXX Gold Footy Jugs, and themed cocktails, Palmerston will have the match playing across all its big screens. SHENANNIGANS IRISH BAR & RESTAURANT (69 Mitchell St, Darwin) Promising $9 Pints from 5pm onwards, 'Shags' will also be serving up its pie and pint special to keep your belly full. The pub will have the game on the big screen and will also have live music in the beer garden and main stage throughout the night. HIBISCUS TAVERN (8 Leanyer Drive, Leanyer) The popular adult sports bar is promising its patrons 'smokin staff, ice-cold drinks' and 'atmosphere that's better than your lounge room', as it hosts game 2 on the big screen. HOTEL DARWIN (CNR Herbert and Mitchell St, Darwin) The long standing 'meeting place' in the heart of the city is hosting another Origin watch along party on its big screens both outside in the courtyard and inside in the air conditioner on TV. COOLALINGA TAVERN (425 Stuart Highway, Coolalinga) Putting a pause on its weekly trivia night for the big game, Coolalinga wants to see its patrons sporting their team colours, with good mates and sinking cold ones as they watch the game on the big screens. Inviting anyone and everyone to attend, Silks will be serving up some delicious specials and ice cold drinks as the decider plays live and loud on the big screens. The northern suburb sports club is hosting a watch along on the big screen. With cheap schooners and a special offer for members, patrons will be able to drink house schooners and basic spirits until the final siren.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
'Tough enough, brave enough': What it takes to be a cowboy in the NT's Top End
It's late afternoon at a dusty rodeo arena in rural Darwin, and a growing crowd is watching on as women compete in barrel racing, guiding horses around an obstacle course plotted by 44-gallon drums. A persistent dust cloud hovers at ground level, stirred up by the rhythmic canter of a new horse entering the arena every minute or so. For many spectators who have driven in from Darwin and nearby towns, the Noonamah Rodeo is an exaggerated spectacle of rural life. A road train cab perched above the arena spews flames at various intervals. There's a half-time freestyle motocross show, and the live country music playing will continue until the early hours of the morning. For urban visitors, it's a rare chance to pull on the RMs and a Ringers Western work shirt or to flaunt a slightly more polished cowboy-core 'fit inspired by celebrities like Orville Peck or Beyoncé. But for others, it is serious business. Backstage, dozens of young men in sturdy boots, well-worn jeans and wide-brimmed hats are standing, talking among themselves. It seems most of them know each other from the rodeo circuit, and they aren't afraid to call themselves "cowboys". One of them is UK-born Jack Milsom. Just a year ago, at 25, he left his small home town in the Adelaide Hills seeking a life on a remote Top End cattle station, with no idea what to expect. One year on, he's buckling up a pair of tasselled leather chaps in the shadow of this rodeo arena by a roadside pub. Jack says he's always been drawn to the idea of life on the land, and so one day, with "literally only directions, not knowing how the pay was or what I was doing" he got in the car and drove 3,200 kilometres north. "Looking at stations and what not, I thought 'that lifestyle is for me', and took the jump," he says, in his blended British-Australian accent. "I thought, bugger it, you only live once. "It's just so free. You get to work on the land every day, the boss is cruisy, you get to go back to the workshop at the end of every day. "Everyone has a beer, a yarn, and rinse, wash, repeat." For the men and women who work on remote Top End cattle stations — part of a community of workers often based hundreds of kilometres from each other — events like this one are important. As well as a rare chance to socialise, they are an opportunity to compete in that celebrated event of cowboy culture, the rodeo. Women typically compete in barrel racing, while the men ride bulls. When he's not riding unruly livestock for a crowd of thousands, Jack is driving heavy machinery at Old Mount Bundy Station, near Jabiru, where he lives and works. He is quick to clarify that station life is not easy, but affords an undeniable sense of freedom. "Don't get me wrong, the work's hard and you do long hours, but it's very rewarding work," he says. In a yard behind the arena — a quasi-locker room for competitors, bordered by nothing more than temporary cyclone fencing — a handful of other bull riders are preparing for a night of rural entertainment. The cowboys get changed in full view of thousands of spectators queuing up to enter the venue, pulling gear out of worn duffel bags that litter the ground. Splayed open in the dust, they contain a variety of cattlemen's accoutrements like brushes, bull-ropes, talcum powder and leather-related products. Straddling a saddle in the dirt as he adjusts his stirrups, Jack says that before each rodeo, he applies rosin to the inside of his chaps, in the hopes he'll stick to his saddle as he's being thrown around. Nearby, other competitors are tying and tightening various intricate knots in the bull-ropes which will bind them to the huge animals they'll be riding in just minutes. It's a struggle to spot anyone not wearing a wide-brimmed hat of one variety or another. Not many look like the felt type you might associate with The Man from Snowy River. Instead, most Top End cowboys and cowgirls prefer hats made of thatched straw. "Wide-brimmed hats, they go back a long way for cattlemen. It's what drovers wore," Jack explains. "You see cattlemen with bigger brims and felt hats, that's actually a tool when you're out working with cattle on horseback. "You use the top of your hat. You flip it upside-down and give your horse a drink, and also it keeps you safe from the sun." As well as a good hat, Jack says durable denim is essential for a cowboy, because when "you're playing with cattle in the yard, you get hooked, they [your jeans] get ripped". And while a big belt buckle might seem like a cowboy staple, it's not something just anyone can wear. "You do see a lot of people trying to act like they've got a buckle and stuff but, see, some of the cowboys around here, they've actually earned it, they've done the hard yards," Jack says. Most rodeo spectators from Darwin and surrounds are wearing what New South Wales competitor Dean Wallace sees as a less authentic interpretation of cowboy western wear. While many spectators will stay at the arena into the early hours of the morning for an after-party, Dean says most of his fellow competitors will "go back to their utes for a sleep" or a quiet beer. "I think the ones that highlight a bad view of cowboy culture are the ones that dress up for tonight, get on the piss, try to fight someone and get carried out," he says. "You see some people who dress up just for tonight and they've never actually seen a paddock, stepped in s*** or touched a sheep." Dean isn't keen on the suggestion cowboys are proud of their differences from "city slickers", and says rather than being concerned about their identity, most cowboys just don't care. "There are moral standards for a cowboy, and you shouldn't have to think about what those are," he declares. But he explains that the cowboy identity can't simply be adopted by anyone. "It's just being tough enough to handle whatever gets thrown at you, brave enough to do whatever you have to do and looking after those around you. I guess that's my view of a cowboy," he says. While Dean says the cowboy identity usually comes with growing up in a pastoral family, he believes it is not impossible to become one — but it takes hard work. "I'm all for anyone that wants to get into it," he says. "If you put your hat on, put your boots on and you're willing to work for it, that's all there is to it. "I'm telling you, if you go from a lifestyle where you're not used to it and you try to get into it, you'll quickly figure if you're a cowboy or not." As the final bull is taken back to the yards and the night-time entertainment starts warming up, as if on cue, Dean and his fellow bull riders begin to pack up and head to their utes, leaving the crowd of partygoers behind them in the settling dust.
