Sugarbags

Language: Alawa

Country: Minyerri Region

: Barney Ellaga is following his traditional style of painting from his forefathers using the Rainbow Serpent skin design to portray his Aboriginal history, stories and various areas in the Alawa country.  He is the last elder in the Alawa region doing the circumcision with traditional song and dance taught to him by his forefathers. He knows all the songs and ceremonies and wants to share them by doing painting. By his words there is unfortunately no one left in his region to take his place when he is gone.
The artwork depicts Barney’s homeland of Alawa Country Hodgson Downs. The lateral stippling represents the ever-changing landscape. The vertical stippling in the centre represents the travel line of the honeybee as he passed through that country creating the features of the land as he travelled and also leaving an important gift for the Aboriginal people marked by the roundel in the middle, which represents the wild honey comb – very important food source and medicine for the people of the country. Honey can be rubbed onto any cuts you might get in the bush and has very good healing properties.