Maningrida Arts and Culture
Jennifer Prudence — 'Burlupurr - large dillybag' 579-23, Maningrida Arts and Culture
Burlupurr, or dilly bag, is a large woven collecting basket. These large bags are often made from the vine 'Malasia scandens', a strong pliable plant which grows along the floor and into the canopy of monsoon vine thickets. The bags are used to collect any kind of large numbers of heavy foods such as fish caught in conical fish traps or large collections of yams.
They can also be made from Pandanus spiralis, a plant which grows in many areas of Arnhem Land. These dilly bags are a tightly woven collecting basket, very finely made. These dilly bags are often used to collect sugarbag, the native honey.
As well as being of practical use, dilly bags are also of religious significance to Arnhem Land people. Dilly bags are said to be totemic objects and associated with particular sites in the landscape.
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Jennifer Prudence
Skin Name: Galijan/ Language: Burarra (Martay) / Moiety:Jowunga / Country: Yilan
Jennifer Prudence is a Burarra fibre artist living in Maningrida. Jennifer works predominantly with locally harvested pandanus (pandanus spiralis ) that she dyes with natural colours derived from the roots, leaves or flowers of plants found in the surrounding country. She was taught to weave by her sister, master weaver Lorna Jin-gubarrangunyja, and is now herself an accomplished maker of An-gujechiya (Fish Trap), Burlupurr (Dilly bags), circular woven mats and earrings.
Jennifer was one of 13 artists who produced "Mun-Dirra" for the 2023 NGV Triennial Exhibition, a monumental installation of ten 10m long woven pandanus fish net fences; taking close to 2 years to complete, it is the largest commissioned fibre work in Australia.
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Maningrida Arts and Culture x Craft
July 2 – August 29 2026
'Manngarre/Mannga brings together fifteen dynamic artists in a landmark collaboration between the Maningrida Arts and Culture and Craft Victoria. This exhibition celebrates fibre works that are more than objects; they carry cultural knowledge, storytelling, and innovation. Each piece reflects generations of practice, individual creativity, and the natural materials of bush and jungle Country, deeply tied to the weaver’s clan estate.
Maningrida Arts & Culture is one of Australia's oldest Aboriginal community-controlled art and culture centres, dating back to 1963. Located in central west Arnhem Land, it supports artists from 12 language groups, 32 homelands and 110 clans.
Manngarre, meaning jungle in Kuninjku language, and Mannga its equivalent in Burarra/Gun-nartpa respectively, is an exhibition of intricately woven works by women fibre artists of the Maningrida region.
Maureen Ali / Freda Ali / Cecille Baker / Louwa Bardaluna / Bonnie Burarngarra / Dorothy Bunibuni / Nola Garrba / Lorna Jin-gubarrangunyja (Dec) / Jocelyn Koyole / Samantha Malkudja / Sylvia Marrgawaidj / Annalese Morris / Basma Nulla / Jennifer Prudence / Philomena Wilson
Read more about the exhibition here:
Material: Pandanus (Pandanus Spiralis) with natural dyes
Dimensions: 19 x 22 x 22cm
Cat. no: 579-25
Please note when purchasing, exhibition works are to be collected when exhibition closes.
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