- Artist: Richard Birrinbirrin
- Art Centre: Bula bula Arts
- Region: Arnhem Land
Artwork Story
Birrinbirrin is the son of Malangi’s older brother, George Buridna (b.1920- dec.). After his father died, Birrinbirrin was instructed in yolngu customs by his ‘second father’, David Malangi 1927- 1993). Malangi taught Birrinbirrin to paint and to make sand sculptures for ceremony. Like Malangi, Birrinbirrin has a deeply resonant voice, singing the clan songs for his mothers (Balmbi) country.
I started painting in the 1980s. Me, Jimmy Barnabul (1958-1994), Charlie Djota (1951-dec.), John Dhurrikayu. Right, this is your chance for painting (my father said). When Malangi painted he told (us) the stories. When I go, you can do painting for your own country and stories. Don’t paint other peoples – you got to get permission from the elders (he said).
From my side, my father’s side, I paint only two stories: that’s Djang’kawu (Sisters) and Gurrmirringu. When the Djang’kawu get to my country, that’s Manyarrngu country, that’s where they left their sacred dilly bag. They come from the sunrise and named all the places, all the trees and ngatha (vegetable food) on the way. They changed their language at each place where they stopped and gave yolngu all their clans, making waterholes and naming places. Richard Birrinbirrin
Birrinbirrin is a trained Health Worker and worked at the Ramingining Clinic during the 1980s. Well travelled in his youthful days, Birrinbirrin is known as “the man of many languages” as he speaks several languages, not just from the Arnhem Land area but also from the Kimberleys and the Tanami Desert.
Birrinbirrin was the Chairman of Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation from 2002 to 2005 and on the Executive of ANKAAA (Association of Northern Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists). He has a great understanding of the world of Aboriginal art both in terms of its production and the marketing of the art.
© Bula’bula Arts