'Mindirr (Pandanus Bag)' Daphne Banyawarra (White / Red / Purple)

All exhibition works are pickup only, available for collection from July 14th. 

Miṉḏirr (dilly bags) are made from gunga (Pandanus spiralis), baḻgurr (kurrajong) and natural bush dyes. The body of the miṉḏirr is made from gunga, and the handles from baḻgurr. Once the gunga fronds and baḻgurr bark have been collected, they are stripped and prepared then boiled with the dyes. Miṉḏirr were used traditionally for every day utilitarian purposes, particularly collecting bush foods such as bäḻtji (yam). Traditionally, the baḻgurr handles were worn across the forehead while the body of the miṉḏirr sat at the back, between the shoulder blades making it easily accessible when collecting ŋatha (food).

Dimensions: (H x W) 18cm x 17cm

Materials: Gunga (Pandanus Spiralis), natural dyes

Tradition and contemporary practice are woven together like threads in a tapestry. Ghost net traps use ancestral weaving techniques, echoing the connection between land, sea, and community. Salvaged materials condemn the use of the plastic commercial fishing nets that litter the oceans. Weavings, lino printed fabrics and dillybags hang alongside carved sculptures and ceramics, each piece a trace of cultural lineage, Indigenous lore and identity. These objects are acts of cultural continuity that embody ecological wisdom and spirit passed down through generations. From the pandanus weavings of Injalak Arts to the fibre art from Maningrida, the diversity of materials and technique reflect the richness of Australia’s Indigenous cultures.