FISHTRAP CUSHION
When Rigby’s & Bábbarra collide we create these incredible one off cushions.
Fabric designed and printed by Bábbarra Women’s Center in remote Northern Territory.
Then filled with a lush plush feather insert.
Material : 100% cotton
Size : 75cm x 45cm
Colour : White mid weight cotton with natural linen piping. Print is a rich colour of pinks and reds. Placement of print varies.
Care : Hand wash only and dry in the shade
•••
Au-gujechiya means fish trap in the Burrarra language which is one of the traditional languages spoken in the Maningrida region. Elizabeth’s homeland is Gupanga, Arnhem Land which located on a saltwater estuary, a great place for catching fish.
Elizabeth obtained permission from her djunkay to create a screen print design about a historic object traditionally used to trap fish in rivers, creeks, and estuaries.
In the early wet season, fish swim upstream for breeding in creeks and billabongs, then downstream to spend the dry season in larger rivers. The traps would be set to face the oncoming fish, with woven fencing either side. Within the mouth of the trap is a woven funnel that guides the fish in and prevents their escape. The clever design ensures that only adult fish are caught as smaller fish can escape through the weaving or even through the funnel. The fish that are caught can survive in the trap for up to two months. Once the trap is removed, the end is untied to remove the fish. This sustainable design means the trap can be used again and again.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Elizabeth Kodjdjan Wullunmingu is an Anbara Burarra woman who grew up on her mother country at the mouth of the Blyth River, east of Maningrida in Arnhem Land.
Elizabeth started working as a sewer for Babbarra Women’s Centre in 2010 and created her first screen print design the same year. Rrugurrgurda (mud crab) tells the story of Elizabeth’s homeland, a peaceful place with plenty of mud crabs and shellfish to eat. Rrugurrgurda and Dakkara are good baladji (bush food) and can be eaten all year round.
Elizabeth’s artistic talent comes from her mother Doris Gingingara who was an artist for the iconic Desert Designs label in the 1980’s.
Language- Burarra
Community- Maningrida
Clan - Anbara
Date of Birth - 1972-05-31
