DHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA WHERE WE ALL MEET · PDF fileDHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA / WHERE WE ALL MEET ... It is not appropriate to reproduce any one carved tree and it’s marking –

DHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRAWHERE WE ALL MEET

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DHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA / WHERE WE ALL MEET

THUBBA-GA CLOAKDesigned and constructed by Lynette Riley & Diane Riley-McNaboe Dubbo January - March 2012Possum skins with artificial sinew and pokerwork© the artists 2012

TEMPLATE FOR POSSUM SKIN PANELS:1-50 = numbers of each possum skin sewn into cloak and design workBlue Panels created by Diane Riley-McNaboeRed Panels created by Lynette Riley

INDICATED IN EACH CELL IS: 1. Possum Skin number in template2. Code used as below3. Symbols used in possum skin Panels

KEY CODE:C - Calendar / SeasonsP - Patterns: animal tracks; fur / feather; people# - Carved Trees and Trees used for food / medicinesT - Clan TotemsN - Nation Totems – Female Goanna, Male Goanna

SPECIFIC REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE CLOAK:

1. FOUR RIVERS - flow through the skin Panels: Macquarie, Talbragar, Bogan, & Castlereagh – as major rivers in our Country:

Macquarie River – Panels: 3, 4, 12, 13, 21 - Totem represented is the ‘Sand Piper’Talbragar River – Panels: 7, 8, 18, 19, 30 - Totem represented is the ‘Possum ‘Bogan River – Panels: 21, 32, 33, 43, 44 - Totem represented is the ‘Mudlark’Castlereagh River – Panels: 30, 39, 38, 48, 47 - Totem represented is ‘Sacred Water Holes’

This representation of the four rivers across our Country also forms a diamond pattern which is a significant pattern in our sacred and religious practices.

2. ANIMALS – Each of the ‘5’ rows within the Cloak represent different types of animals

Row 1 – birdsRow 2 – animals in treesRow 3 – animals that walk on the groundRow 4 – water animalsRow 5 – animals that live near, on or under the ground

3. TREE OF KNOWLEDGE – Panels 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, 36

These Panels form the foundations for the cloak – they represent the major totems in our country for our Nation (23, 24, 27 & 28) and Clan Groups (15, 16, 25, 26, 35, 36); these Panels also form the pattern of a tree trunk (15, 16, 25, 26, 35, 36) with the branches spreading on either side (23, 24, 27, 28).

4. CALENDAR, SEASONS AND STARS – these are grouped in Seasonal Panels at each corner of the Cloak

Season 1 - Panels 1, 2 & 11 Season 2 - Panels 9, 10 & 20Season 3 - Panels 31, 41 & 42Season 4 - Panels 40, 49 & 50

Each panel represents a month and each group of ‘3’ corner panels represents the seasons as per the European calendar, as:Top left corner triplet is – December (11) January (1) and February (2)Top right corner triplet is – March (9), April (10) and May (20)Bottom right corner triplet is – June (40), July (50) and August (49)Bottom left corner triplet is – September (42), October (41) and November (31)

Each of the above Panels are divided into ‘5’ sections – Left to right – larger diamond Panel is the 1st section and smaller corner sections are parts 2, 3, 4, 5. Each panel ‘5’ different components of a represents:

Section 1 – Large Diamond Panel: A site or a starSection 2, 3, 4, & 5 represent: bush foods, bush medicine and one part of a traditional story. Three panels in each corner have one part of the same story. 5. PEOPLE – represented in following:

Women - Panel 13 Children - Panel 17 Men - Panel 34 All People Together - Panel 37

6. CARVED TREES – Panels 13, 18, 33, 38

These panels represent the carved trees of the western plains; across western NSW is the only recorded evidence of the creation of these carved trees. These were not simply an art form, but contained in essence the presence of a person of significance. In many ways it could be equated with a grave stone marker – but would contain greater spiritual significance. It is not appropriate to reproduce any one carved tree and it’s marking – this would be sacrilegious, but rather these Panels pay homage to our unique form of remembering an individual’s contribution to others lives. It’s also important to acknowledge that these trees were alive and not destroyed through this creation.

DHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA / WHERE WE ALL MEETPossum Skin Template

The design for the Possum Skin Cloak was done as a joint venture between Lynette Riley and Diane Riley-McNaboe. This was done to create not only a cohesion and flow around the cloak but also to ensure the whole design reflected our Country appropriately.

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POSSUM SKIN PANEL EXPLANATIONS Diane concentrated on panels to represent: calendars & star systems, seasons and the totems which were within our Nation and Clan GroupsLynette concentrated on panels to represent: the rivers & totems, people, plants and animals across our Country

NOTE: Wiradjuri in RED print

PANEL NO.

EXPLANATION OF DESIGNS USED CREATED BY

ROW 1

1 JANUARYSection 1 - Star System: Seven SistersMalany dyang or dindima or gidigan

Section 2 - People: camping - Mayiny

Section 3 - Plant / Medicine: Black Boy, Grass Tree – used for making spears and bowls and weaving baskets - Maybal or marrady or binda or babang

Section 4 - Plant Food: Warrigal Greens

Section 5 - Bird: Mudlark – Bogan River Totem - Guliridy or burrindin

Diane Riley-McNaboe

2 FEBRUARYSection 1 - Site: Bora GroundFor ceremonies and significant gatherings of Clan and Nation groups

Section 2 – Plant Food: Salt Bush / Cotton Bush, shovel shaped leaves - Barrinan

Section 3 – Bird: Bush Turkey / Bustard - Gambal or yungay; gamidha or buragil

Section 4 – Animal: Koala - Barrandhang or Gurabaan; naagun or ginaagun

Section 5 – Plant Medicine: Pigface - Biradur

Diane Riley-McNaboe

3 MACQUARIE RIVER- Totem Sandpiper

Wind Symbol – represents the wind blowing across the river and land – remembrances of large wind storms we had when we were kids and the red dust would billow across town and right through the houses covering everything

Lynette Riley


Swamp waters for animals to survive – in remembrance of the swamp which was drained in Dubbo to create the town park and railway station. It still remains a place where we all gather

Lynette Riley

5 SEDGE GRASSES- Used in making rope and weaving to create belts and headdresses

Lynette Riley

6 YELLOW BOX – trunks with bumps Lynette Riley

7 TALBRAGAR RIVER- Totem Possum

Possum symbols and tracks – to represent the Dubbo-Ga people

Lynette Riley



Lynette Riley

9 MARCHSection 1 – Site: Scared Tree – yung madhanAn old scared tree - Birdyulang madhan

Section 2 – Animal: Female Kangaroo & Joey - Bundha or Wambuung gunhi and baabay

Section 3 – Plant Food & Medicine: Bush Tomato / Night Shade / Potato Bush - Miidyum

Section 4 – Plant Implements: Iron Bark - Manga or Munga

Section 5 – Bird: Wood Duck - Gudharang or guwiyarrang or gunaruReturning Boomerang and When it returns - Bargam and darribal

Diane Riley-McNaboe

10 APRILSection 1 – Star System: Orion’s Belt “The Children In The Sky” - Buraaydyalang

Section 2 – Plant Implements: Bullrushes – spear & weaving - Gurmiyug

Section 3 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Tree Bark Dhurang madhay, mirrang - Bark Gives WayGarraa – Small pieces of barkGadyil, guulaman – BowlBilin-marra – Long stripMuriin – Bark canoeMadhan - Tree

Section 4 – Animal: JoeysBaabay – JoeyWambad - WombatWambumany Gunhi - Kangaroo Joey & Mother

Section 5 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Kurra jongPeople sucked inner bark as medicine, Seeds for flourImplements: bark for string and weaving - Bandhaany, Garradyang, Yama, Yamagan, Yamagang or Yamma

Diane Riley-McNaboe

ROW 2

11 DECEMBERSection 1 – Sites: Terramungamine (Yaway or yugi) – grinding stones and sharpening toolsDhirramagaamayiny – Rise on which the Iron Bark people live

Section 2 – Plant Medicine, implements & housing: She Oak - Bilawi or Biilaa

Section 3 – Animal: Child - Buraay

Section 4 –Bird: Sandpiper – Macquarie River Totem - Buyuwalwal

Section 5 – Plant Food: Lilly Pilly (Lilii Bilii)Geebung or Dyiibang - fruit

Diane Riley-McNaboe

12 MACQUARIE RIVER- Totem Sandpiper Lynette Riley

13 CARVED TREES Lynette Riley

14 WOMENThis Panel represents our women who were the main caretakers of young children also kept the staple diet of vegetables and fruits through their hunting and gathering across country. This work kept the women together and helped form tight bonds between the women and children.

Lynette Riley

15 CLAN TOTEM - Iron Bark Diane Riley-McNaboe

16 CLAN TOTEM – Red Ochre & Bora Ground Diane Riley-McNaboe

17 CHILDRENThis Panel represents the joy of children. Playing their games together – running; hopping; chasing each other; running around the adults and annoying them. These children are also protected by their parents and can explore in freedom to help them grow and learn through practical experience.

Lynette Riley




Lynette Riley

20 MAYSection 1 – Sites: Carved Tree Marara – Carved TreeMarayarrang – Carving on the tree

Section 2 –Bird: BrolgaBurralagang – BrolgaYanydyilal – groundNgurang – campWagaanha - dancing

Section 3 - Bird: Bower Bird – has two areas in which they live across Australia and they have two homesNgambula - Two homes

Section 4 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Stringy Bark Strip bark from tree to weave for making stringGundhaybiyan – Stringy Bark Wayu - String

Section 5 – Animal: Wombat (Wambad) & KangarooThe Kangaroo receiving it’s pouchWambuwuny gunhi

Diane Riley-McNaboe

ROW 3


Trees represented – Eucalyptus Box, Grass Tree, She Oak

Bogan River- Totem Mudlark

Lynette Riley

22 EMU- Emu feathers- Emu tracksThis Panel was done in recognition of our mother – Delma Riley (nee Wright); additionally we recognise our grandmother – Maude Wright and Pop – Rueben (Ben) Wright and all that they have done in bringing us up. Mum’s totem is the emu.

Lynette Riley

23 NATION TOTEM & ELDERS CIRCLEGoogar – Goanna Diane Riley-McNaboe


25 CLAN TOTEM – Grey Kangaroo Diane Riley-McNaboe

26 CLAN TOTEM – Possum Diane Riley-McNaboe



29 KANGAROO- Kangaroos fur- Kangaroos tracksThis Panel was done in recognition of our father – Keith Riley; our grandmother – Alma Riley; and grandfather Eric Riley; with the family totem being the Grey Kangaroo

Lynette Riley

30 TALBRAGAR RIVER- Totem PossumPlants represented: Quandong – for fruit and use of seeds in jewellery; Lily Pilly – use of fruit; wattle – use of seeds, bark and wood.

Castlereagh River- Totem Sacred Water Holes

Lynette Riley

ROW 4

31 NOVEMBERSection 1 – Sites: Tree & Paddock, which was last recorded site of a ‘law’ fight near Western Plains Zoo Section 2 – Animal: Water animals - Galing gidyira

Section 3 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Gum Collecting gum off trees

Section 4 – Plant Food: Happy Wanderer (purple flowers) - Ngawang

Section 5 – Bird: White Cockatoo - Murraany Tracks, headdress and belt

Diane Riley-McNaboe

32 BOGAN RIVER- Totem Mudlark

Fish represented: Hardy Head, Yellowbelly, Mountain Galaxias

Lynette Riley


34 MENMen are represented as major protectors of the Clans. Whilst there are set travelling tracks across Country, the men would roam to get the meat required for our diets – Kangaroo, Emu, Goanna, etc. This panel indicates the men’s movements in meeting in groups to maintain links and connections with other Clan and family groups.

Lynette Riley

35 CLAN TOTEM – Emu Diane Riley-McNaboe

36 CLAN TOTEM – Women’s Headress Diane Riley-McNaboe

37 ALL PEOPLE TOGETHERThis Panel represents the different family and Clan groups that live together and get together to maintain religious and ceremony ties for the conservation of the land and the survival of the people.

Lynette Riley


39 CASTLEREAGH RIVER- Totem Sacred Water Holes

Fish represented: Eel, Herring, CatfishLynette Riley

40 JUNESection 1 – Site: Phases of the Moon

Section 2 – Plant Food: Mistletoe (Wilburugil) “Snotty Gobbles” (Lilburugil ) – tastes like runny apples

Section 3 – Bird: Magpie (Garru)

Section 4 – Animal: Duck (Gaygaa) and Platypus (Biladurang)Baby Platypus (Gayirraa)

Section 5 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Yellow BoxBaagang, Ganarra, Magalang, Yurana

Diane Riley-McNaboe

ROW 5

41 OCTOBERSection 1 – Star System: Emu In The SkyDinawan Wir-ga or Gurumin

Section 2 – Plant Medicine: Clover

Section 3 – Animal: Bird Circle (Budyaan maarung)

Section 4 – Bird: Emu & Bush Turkey (Dinawan & gambal)

Section 5 – Plant Food: Nardoo Nuts (Ngaadhu or naadhu)

Diane Riley-McNaboe

42 SEPTEMBERSection 1 – Site: Milky Way (Bilabang)

Section 2 – Bird: Kookaburra (Guguburra) & Long Neck Turtle (Gudhamang)Yirawulin-dha – Sun rise (ing)Yanhahha – Bring sunGindanha – laughingWiray guya – No fishWhere you see a Kookaburra laughing or a long neck turtle swimming, there will be no fish

Section 3 – Plant Food: QuandongBugang – nuts for jewelleryDhin – nuts and berries for eating

Section 4 – Plan Medicine & Food: Emu BushYabindha, yadhandha, birrigan Nectar sucked out, berries eaten (black to purple) for skin and stomach problems

Section 5 – Animals: Possum, People, Kangaroos

Diane Riley-McNaboe


Gecko & Tiger Snake Lynette Riley


InsectsButterfly – Caper White; Dragonfly – Blue Ringtail; Hairy Caterpillar; Native Bee; Centipede; Sugar Ant; Redback Spider; Wheel-Web Spider.

Lynette Riley

45 WATTLE TREES- Acacia Wattle – seeds used for making flour; sap to drink; pollen; wattle seed – high protein- Golden Wattle – bark used for making tannin for dyes; flowers for perfume- Black Wattle – wood used to make women’s clap sticks; bark for medicine

Lynette Riley

46 CURRAJONG SEED PODS Lynette Riley


Beetles represented: Diamond Beetle, Long Beetle, Ladybird Beetle, Copper Kettle Beetle, Soldier Beetle, Spotted Jewel Beetle, Christmas Beetle

Lynette Riley


Bugs represented: Lesser Bladder Cicada, Assassin Bug, Leaf Hopper, Stink Bug, Black Citrus Aphid, Soft Scale, Flatid Planthopper, Water Strider, Mealy Bug.

Lynette Riley

49 AUGUSTSection 1 – Site: Tree of Knowledge & Elders Circle Madhan Gulbara – Tree of KnowledgeMudyigaang maarung – Elders circleMudyigaang madhan – Elders tree

Section 2 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Butter Bush Dhingarang Gambi Gambi

Section 3 – Animal: Story of Duck (Gaygaa) has Platypus baby (Gayirraa Bula)

Section 4 – Bird: Willywagtail

Section 5 – Plant Food: Pine NutsDhin - nuts

Diane Riley-McNaboe

50 JULYSection 1 – Start System: Duck in SkyGaygaa Wir-ga or Wambuwanybang

Section 2 – Bird: Black cockatoo (Redtail) - Yuyang Miilgi – Big RainYanhagirra - Coming

Section 3 – Plant Food & Implements (weaving): Umbrella Grass (Bugaru)Bunguwiny / Gungil - seed food

Section 4 – Plant Medicine & Implements: Bimble (Bimbal) Box / Popular BoxBirri, Bimbul, MurrungUsed for tools, coolamons & medicine

Section 5 – Animal: Water Rat (Biguun)Story - Water Rat has baby with Duck to create Platypus baby

Diane Riley-McNaboe

Documents

DHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA WHERE WE ALL MEET · PDF fileDHAGA NGIYANHI NGAN.GIRRA / WHERE WE ALL MEET ... It is not appropriate to reproduce any one carved tree and it’s marking –