Monday, April 24, 2017

LEGENDS AND OTHER FINE THINGS

'Banumbirr: Morning Star Poles', artists from Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island), NT, Australia
Hello there,
time to look at some more Indigenous Australian art...

Currently on display at GoMA are these unique ceremonial Morning Star Poles,
made by artists from Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island) which is a small island off Arnhem land along the northern shores of Australia.
The poles are beautiful, as is the story which accompanies them.


There are over 70 poles, but several different artists, each series showing different clan designs and features.  Though made for public exhibition, these poles are still held sacred by their makers.

The Yolngu people call the planet Venus 'Banumbirr' and tell how she came across the sea from the east, naming and creating animals and lands as she crossed the shoreline, travelling westwards across the country.

It is told that each day at sunset spirits on Burralku, an island to the east hold a morning star ceremony.  As dancing intensifies the rising dust creates the twilight which gradually becomes darkness.
During the day the star is hidden by an old woman in a special feathered bag, and just before dawn she releases the star on a long string.


First it ascends to the top of a tall pandanus tree to survey all the places it will visit, then flies over Arnhem Land heralding the dawn, pausing over each of the clans related to it.  As the sun rises the old woman reels in Banumbirr by its feathered string to be hidden again until the next evening.

The Yolngu people had observed that Venus never strays far from the Sun, which they explain in terms of the rope binding the two bodies together (gravity).  The Morning Star ceremony has to be planned well in advance since Venus rises a few hours before dawn only at certain times of the year, which vary from year to year.  So we know that the Yolngu people also track the complex motion of Venus well enough to predict when to hold the Morning Star Ceremony.

Raki (string) spiritually central to the Banumbirr story, is made from bark fibres and human hair wrapped around the poles and then painted with clan designs.  Great lengths of feathered strings, pul pul, and feather tufts representing the bright star are attached to achieve the transcendent beauty the Banumbirr poles require.



Meanwhile, the garden is having a great time with the slightly cooler temperatures and managing to produce some blooms...




Our Peace rose is in bud - watch this space....


Cute new Palm Beach basket from a great online store: Ladychatterleysaffair
and Wanda Panda yellow shoes - because I don't have to live in sandals every day, now that Autumn's here...


Happy 91st Birthday to Her Majesty, who sensibly spent the day at The Races.
Doesn't she look wonderfully alert and happy...


Tomorrow is Anzac Day, when we Australians remember those who served our country in times of war..

Google image 
My Grandfather and his two brothers joined the Australian Imperial Forces during World War I, and served in Flanders and The Somme.
En route to Europe, the Australians trained in Egypt and the Australian War Memorial preserves many photos of them, pictured near the Pyramids and the Sphinx.  Young Australian men saw it as a great adventure, but as we know, many did not return.


Fortunately my Grandfather survived his time in the trenches of Flanders and returned to Australia to have a family which included my Dad, who passed away last year at 95.

Lest we Forget.


Sydneysider Son and Little Aussie are coming this weekend.

Yay!!

Have a great week.

XXXXX








    

26 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for the photo's and legend of the Morning Star Poles. I wish I could see the poles in person, they look so rich in texture and design.

    Have a fun visit with your family.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the poles Darla. They do look stunning in the Exhibition space, very brilliant.
      Will plan some fun activities for the weekend..

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  2. That's an interesting story behind the morning star poles. I love the aboriginal stories, both in Australia and here in N.America. Your flowers are looking good! We're just waiting for ours to finally bloom, and hopefully that will be in the next week now. Things are really greening up here. Love your butter yellow shoes & new beach basket. I didn't know that about the Australian troops stopping in Egypt for training. It really would have been the adventure of a lifetime for so many of the soldiers.
    Wendy
    Wendy

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    1. Hi Wendy, the tribal legends are great, and I also enjoy the North American ones. Such a lovely way to think of nature. So funny, we have the same flowers bloom in our Autumn when you are having Spring. Synchronised! The Egypt time was interesting, and a sign of history past. Can't imagine that happening today.

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  3. The morning star poles are pretty, with an interesting story behind them. Your garden is already starting to bloom, and the Peace Rose is lovely. That orange flower is pretty as well. Those yellow shoes are so delightful, love those.

    Enjoy your Autumn days, Patricia. It's my favorite season of all. : )

    love, ~Sheri

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    1. They are indeed pretty, Sheri, with the feathers all fluttering and the striking design and colours.
      I can't wait to get out in those yellow shoes, which are super soft and comfy. Autumn is the Best!

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  4. The art exhibition at GoMa looks very interesting and thank you for telling us the story behind these beautiful poles.
    You new shoes and bag are beautiful as are your flowers. Have a super week

    helen xx

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    1. Hello Helen, GoMA does have a great collection and the curators find new and different ways to display it. It is a pleasure to know the stories are still told and appreciated. Glad you like my new accessories, and have a great trip to France.

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  5. Hi Patricia what a beautiful exibition,thankyou for sharing,have fun with your family this weekend.
    Lest we Forget.x

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    1. Hi, and welcome to my blog. Glad you liked the exhibition. Lest we Forget.

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  6. The poles are absolutely beautiful - I take it this is how they are decorated during the storytelling. And your flowers are gorgeous too, slightly eclipsed by your shoes :). And H.M looks so wonderful. We must appreciate her while we can.

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    1. Yes, the poles would be decorated when the communities gather, and I think as part of the ceremonial rites. Ha, glad you like the shoes! So true re H.M., and so pleased she can do what she loves best on her birthday.

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  7. As usual, beautiful roses. Love your yellow shoes and Palm Beach basket.

    Years ago I was in Egypt and saw Pyramids and the Sphinx, but didn't know of connection with WWI nor your country's soldiers. Let us continue to honor their sacrifice.

    Happy autumn!

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    1. No sooner do I have some yellow shoes and a basket, and we have a touch of Winter! Might be wearing boots soon...
      So pleased you have seen Egypt - Australians are now advised not to travel there, and I am sure it is fascinating. Times certainly have changed in a century.

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  8. A lovely exhibition, Patricia. Beautiful poles and your garden looks as if it's thriving in the cooler weather. I must say I do like your yellow shoes!

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    1. Yes, it is so nice to see the roses bloom - they love the drop in temperature. Happy gardening through the next six months. Yellow shoes say hi, and are getting plenty of attention out and about!

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  9. I think I saw these poles in Sydney Goma a few years ago and they are spectacular. I have a didgeridoo from Arnhem land that is painted up like some of the poles and I really love it. It has just gone from summer to winter in a week hasn't it. I love your pansies.

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    1. Oh, that is excellent, having a didgeridoo from Arnhem land, very special. We bought one for one of our sons years ago. The weather certainly has changed suddenly - I had to sort out my clothes in quite a hurry!

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  10. Fabulous post - fascinating. We toasted Anzac Day in the the village pub.

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    1. Hi Mike, glad you enjoyed, and it is excellent to know Anzac Day is duly celebrated over there!

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  11. We have those medals too from my husbands grandfather, it is good to have these things to remind us of the past isn't it.

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    1. Nice to know Amy, kindred spirits re the medals. So special to have them in our families.

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  12. The poles are so impressive in their design and detail, Patricia, thanks for sharing them.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. The poles are indeed impressive, in fact it is difficult to convey that in a photo, but I did my best :)

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  13. I found my dad and grandads' medals, they were in a box in the loft and I had almost forgotten. I remembered that one of my kids created a pole in art school, it had all kinds of ideas attached to it. I wonder if the tutor had seen these Galiwin'ku poles (or something similar). Aren't old legends fascinating!

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    1. How special to find your family medals too - we were never shown them as children, and only saw them for the first time after Dad moved into his care facility.
      That is interesting that your kid made a similar pole - the ideas move around the world, and the tutor must have seen something like that, possibly in a museum.

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