Megan Wilfred
Megan Wilfred — 'Yir (Dilly Bag) I'
Nanja literally translates to nets in Nunggubuyu language. However, these days nanja mainly refers to introduced marine debris - discarded fishing nets, shade cloth, nautical rope and other cast-off materials that plague ocean and river sources. Numburidni people first noticed nanja washing up on the beaches of Numbulwar in the 1980s. Today, these synthetic invaders are a daily reality, building up in the Gulf of Carpentaria, threatening marine life and disrupting traditional ways of living. Yet from this adversity, a unique form of expression has emerged.
Numburindi people have used dilly bags for thousand of years for practical and ceremonial purposes, but not until recently were they produced from repurposed ghost nets and shade cloth fabric. Dilly bags, or yir in Nunggubuyu language, are customarily made from pandanus or bark fibers, and dyed or painted with shades of ochre.
"Every time when them ladies do ghost net bag, nanja, they think about the olden days, how they were making string bag. Like old way and new way, together. We like working old way and new way."
Rose Wilfred.
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Numbulwar Numburindi Arts x Craft
June 20 – July 27
Craft has partnered with Numbulwar Numburindi Arts to present the works from the four Wildred sisters - Joy, Jocelyn, Megan and Virginia - who are known as the Wagilak sisters. In a Dhuwa story told in Ritharrngu language in central Arnhem Land, the Wagilak Sisters are Creation Sisters. The sisters each have their own dilly bags that contain all their powers, holding sacred ornaments and power objects that they use to create the landscape. Through their stewardship, the landscape becomes lush and beautiful. The sisters are keepers and teachers of the law.
Joy Wilfred / Jocelyn Wilfred / Megan Wilfred / Virginia Wilfred
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Megan Wilfred is a Ritharrngu artist from Walker River in South-East Arnham Land. Megan learnt weaving the traditional way, from her grandmoths, aunties and mothers at a young age. She lives and works in Numbulwar with her sisters and niece, and is renowned for her large, painted dilly bags made from reclaimed ghost nets.
The Wilfred sisters replicate traditional dilly bags with found contemporary materials like 'nanja' to tell a contemporary narrative about the environmental deterioration of their homelands, but also the responsibility that befalls custodians in making Country beautiful again. Brightly colours acrylics replace ochre stripes for clan identification and individual expression.
Material: Ghost net, twine and found objects
Dimensions: 143 x 47cm
Cat. no: 329-22