ABC Wednesday,R for Roy McIver, Australian Artist

I dedicate this post to my good friend Roy McIver, artist of Hopevale, the Aboriginal compound near Cooktown in Australia.

Roy McIver at the opening of the art exhibition. On the right his wife and sister( my daughter's mother-in-law).

To enlarge click on slide. These are the words of the uncle of my daughter's ex-husband about each painting:

"I am Roy McIver. I was born at Cape Bedford, Hope Valley Mission, north of Cooktown. I am a Binthi Warra elder of the Guugu Yimidirr people- a nation north from the Annan River to Starke River. I now live at Hopevale, northwest of Cooktown.
I trusted the land to inspire me to paint.
Bayi( Dilly Bag)
When I think of our old ladies I remember them being so busy. As a child I saw them making dilly bags and using them in so many ways. All young girls were taught the processes of making these bags.

Birri Gurra Walngangay( Homeland River and Lagoon)
Special sites of varied and plentiful foods were called "thamaam". It had special significance as a meeting place for ceremony.

Maji Bithaaygu Buliili ( Raindrops)
When I look at nature in the tropics, there are two seasons: Wet and Dry.
The power of the raindrop is renewal.

Manyjalbi Nanggurr ( Mountainside Camp )
At times mountainside camps were necessary. A protected cave made a good birthingplace and site.

Ngayu Binaa Ngathu Bubu ( I love My Country)
After many years I was able to make a successful claim on some of my traditional country.
When I go to my land I feel relaxed and happy and I commune with nature.Being there gives me great joy. I feel I have come home, I belong.
A feeling of not belonging somewhere adds to a feeling of insecurity.This is very important to address in land issues and Reconcilliation.

Buurraay Thabulthabul( Sacred Waterhole )
I was going back to my country and on the way I stopped by the sacred waterhole.This waterhole is said to be the site where the Creator Spirit, the Rainbow Serpent, returned to rest after moving over the land creating all that is.

Dunggangay Thawunhthirrgu ( Friendly Spirit People )
Dunggans are from the Spirit world.At times they come down into this world, They visit waterholes and lagoons, making merry, paddling canoes, laughing and screaming with joy and diving for fresh water mussles.Whenever people come nearby, talking or making noise the Dunggans would disappear.


ABC is created by Denise Nesbitt.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with R.