About this artwork
The owl totem belongs to the Yirritja Moiety. It also belongs to other clans such as, Wangurri, Dhalwangu etc. & the Golpa clan sing about owls. The owls eyes depicts the traditional bush food, called Dingu which comes from the Cycad plant, the nuts are pounded, strained and made into a dough then wrapped by Paper Bark and baked in a ground oven.
Owls are smart and wise, they bring telepathic messages, telling us that something is going to happen, something good or bad in relation to our family. They also tell us, if a death has occurred amongst our family.
Yolŋu people have many totems that come from two Moiety groups, from the Dhuwa side & the Yirritja side.
They are mentioned in our songlines, about where it comes from and from where it travels from, to where its journey ends. We dance to imitate the animals walk, stance, flight and how it caws or makes a sound.
About Megan Yunupingu
Born in Nhulunbuy, Megan moved to Galiwinku in 1998 to live with her Aunty Judy Gurruwiwi. Judy taught her how to paint and passed on important cultural stories. This included how to make Yidaki (didgeridoo) and carve sculptures. Megan is well recognised Australia wide for her carved timber owl sculptures and has now taken on a new art medium, emerging as a natural fibre weaver producing high end mats and earrings. Megan has had the opportunity of having wonderful mentors such as the accomplished weavers Judy Manany Gurruwiwi and Mavis Warrngilna Ganambarr teaching and inspiring her in the beautiful art of natural fibre weaving. Megan has taken on this knowledge to produce her free experimentation with construction methods, colour and patterns to produce these innovative forms of artwork. A very exciting emerging artist from Elcho Island Arts, Megan is involved in the cultural tradition of learning how to paint her mother’s totems. Married with three children and four grandchildren, Megan has a very busy life balancing her full-time work commitments as Arts Worker at Elcho Island Arts, while also finding time to concentrate on her professional artistic career.
