The Stone Artworks

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay respect to their leaders, past and present. Visitors to this website should be aware that names may be mentioned, or images portrayed, of people who are now deceased. Any distress this may cause is sincerely regretted.

Ruby Florence Hammond PSM

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Stone Artwork - Ruby Florence Hammond PSM, Reconciliation Place, Parkes.

Photographed by Martin Ollman.

 

Aboriginal Dreaming sings to us of living in harmony with the land and with each other.

Ruby Florence Hammond PSM 1993

The Ngarrindjeri people of Murrundi (the Lower Murray River) believe the Ponde (the Murray Cod) is a significant aspect of their dreaming. Ruby Hammond, a descendant of Ngarrinderi and Western Arrente, worked tirelessly with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people striving towards understanding and equity for all Australians. Hammond was well-known for singing the song about the sun, the moon and the stars, by her family and many other groups. It is a song about where we all come from.

The artwork has been designed by 'Munnari' John Hammond, Ruby Hammond's son.

Source

Forte, Margaret Flight of an Eagle - The Dreaming of Ruby Hammond, Adelaide SA, Wakefield Press, 1995.

Robert Lee

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Stone Artwork - Robert Lee, Reconciliation Place, Parkes.

Photographed by Martin Ollman.

 

Take the responsibility and share parts of your country and our living cultures in a good way with fellow Australians and the rest of the world.



Robert Lee, 2003

The Rainbow Serpent is the symbol of Jawoyn and Nitmiluk National Park. It was selected by the Lee family as it portrays the spiritual connection of the late Robert Lee to his land. The image depicts Bolung, the Rainbow Serpent; Nitnit, the cicada; fresh mussels, fish and rocks. Featured wearing a ceremonial headdress, Bolung is associated with the wet season and waterholes. He is not only an important life-giving figure, but may also act as a destroyer. Bolung lives in the deep pools of the second gorge. When fishing, the Jawoyn take only a small portion of their catch and throw the rest back to appease Bolung.

The artist was Alice Mitchell Marrakorlorlo, a traditional owner of Nitmiluk.

Source

Lee, Robert. 'For our children's children: Nitmiluk and economic independence', from a speech given at the Indigenous Economic Development Conference, Alice Springs (NT), 6-7 March 2003. www.indigenousforums.nt.gov.au/dcm/indigenous policy/forums

Wenten Rubuntja AM

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Stone Artwork - Wenten Rubuntja AM, Reconciliation Place, Parkes.

Photographed by Martin Ollman.

 

...all of us have to live together, look after each other, share this country.

Wenten Rubuntja AM 1988

The Yerrampe Dreaming was passed down to Wenten Rubuntja from his great grandfather and his father's uncle.

The artwork depicts a segment from a larger painting of the Mparntwe (Arrente word for Alice Springs) Dreaming. The artist was Wenten Rubuntja and the image was developed by his son, Mervyn Rubuntja, and Benita Tunks.

Represented are two ayeparenye (caterpillar) women and two yerrampe (honey ant) women. There are also three men - artwe atnyentye (moon man), artwe yerrampe (honey ant man) and arntetherrke (carpet snake man), who are attracted to the women and so paint themselves and sing songs with piripe (music sticks) and call on totemic animals to help.

But the women are not interested and threaten to 'sing them' and make them sick with their superior sacred powers unless they left the women alone.

The dotted lines are the honey ant tracks leading to Aleyape, the honey ant nests in the centre of the image.

Source

Rubuntja, Wenten with Green, Jenny The Town Grew Up Dancing: The Life and Art of Wenten Rubuntja, Alice Springs NT, Jukurrpa Books, 2002.

Bill Neidjie OAM

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Stone Artwork - Bill Neidjie OAM, Reconciliation Place, Parkes.

Photographed by Martin Ollman.

 

This law...this country...this people. No matter what people...red, yellow, black or white...the blood is the same. Lingo little bit different...but no matter. Country - you in other place...But same feeling. Blood...bone...all the same.

Bill Neidjie OAM 1986

Mabuyu was a member of the Bunitj Clan of which the late Bill Neidjie was a respected elder.

According to the Dreamtime story related by Jonathan Nadji there was a warrior called Mabuyu who lived in a cave away from his clan group. The other mob camped at Indjuwandjuwa near Ubirr (Obiri Rock), where the ancient rock painting depicting Mabuyu is in the present-day Kakadu National Park. One day, the clan went fishing but they did not get any. Mabuyu also went fishing. He fished away from the others and caught many fish. He was dragging his catch on a string when a greedy person cut the string and stole his fish. This upset him very much.

That night, Mabuyu waited until the thieves had eaten his fish and were camped inside their cave. He sealed them in their cave with a huge rock. Another mob sent a message to his grandmother's country to tell them what had happened. They made a plan to befriend Mabuyu and invited him to their camp. When he was asleep they sealed him in a cave at a special site around the Mount Borradale area in Western Arnhem Land. Legend has it that Mabuyu is still there.

The image of Bill Neidjie's hand print was designed by his son, Jonathan Nadji. The spirit warrior figure (Mabuyu) is reproduced from an ancient rock painting located at Ubirr (Obiri Rock), Northern Territory.

Source

Neidjie, Big Bill, Davis, Stephen and Fox, Allan Australia's Kakadu Man - Bill Neidjie, Darwin NT, Resource Managers Pty Ltd; 1986.

Gatjil Djerrkura OAM

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Stone Artwork - Gatjil Djerrkura OAM, Reconciliation Place, Parkes.

Photographed by Martin Ollman.

 

If we want to break away from the colonial past, and begin anew, then we have to walk together - hand in hand and side by side - as a truly reconciled nation.

Gatjil Djerrkura OAM 2004

The Walatha, or fighting stick, was the totem of the late Gatjil Djerrkura. It is the totem of the Wangurri clan to which he belonged. The late Gatjil Djerrkura inherited his Wangurri clan responsibilities from his father but modelled his philosophy on his maternal grandfather, the warrior chief Wongu, whom he saw as strong in his culture but open to new ideas. Historically, the Wälatha was used by the leaders of the Wangurri clan to restore order and to bring peace. It was also used to pass messages from one clan to another, about ceremonies and other significant community events. With the advent of Christianity, the Wälatha acquired a symbolic meaning denoting peace, Reconciliation and friendship.

The Wälatha image was developed by the Djerrkura family.

Source

Djerrkura, Gatjil. Speech to launch Mark McKenna's This Country: a Reconciled Republic?, Manning Clark House, Canberra, 14 May 2004. 

Click here to learn more about Reconciliation Place and its artworks.