ADF presentation of Ramindjeri Artwork to Aunty Christine and Aunty Unbulara

The Ramindjeri Dreaming Story Artwork

MUM:MO:WEE…NUNKAREE WALLIN…
ME WE

(Black Fella and Black Fella coming together – in peace)

The image to the left is the official framed and glass mounted artwork Presented by The Defence Directorate of Indigenous Affairs in Canberra to Aunty Christine and Aunty Unbulara.

This artwork also contains photos and descriptions of what this dreaming is all about which you can see excerpts of, and read more about below.

UNCLE KARNO WALKER

Uncle Karno Walker, a Great Southern Loreman, Elder, Tribal Leader and Warrior (Yo:yang:amaldi Mend:in Korn) of the Ramindjeri Nation was born under a fig tree, born to be free, at the Port McLeay Mission / Raukkan South Australia. His personal Totem (Natji) is Wedgetail Eagle (Wulde) and the Ramindjeri Tribal Totem (Natji), is Golden Wattle (Wirildi).

His Ramindjeri Ancestor and Great Uncle, 2466 Private Arthur Thomas Walker, an Australian Soldier and Ramindjeri Warrior (Yo:yang amaldi Mend:in Korn) fought alongside many other Australian and non-Australian Warriors in the Great War and like so many others; served at Gallipoli, in Egypt and France. Eventually 2466 Private (Great Uncle) Arthur Thomas Walker was killed-in-action during the battle of Mouquet Farm (near Pozieres) in France, on the 16th August 1916.

As the highest degree of respect and in recognition of all Warriors (Yo:yang: amaldi Mend:in Korn) who served and in particular, for those who did not return to their Tribal Land (Ruwe), their birth-place, their homes and their loved ones in Australia; on the 1st August 2014 on Ramindjeri Land at Victor Harbour in South Australia, Uncle Karno respectfully presented to Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO Chief of the Army, a magnificent Ramindjeri Kangaroo ‘Nurrari’ Skin representing, Ramindjeri Wirritjin Peggera:lin. Wirritjin – ‘white fella / black fella coming and working together as one’ and Peggera:lin – ‘Dreaming’. The Kangaroo ‘Nurrari’ Skin, Ramindjeri Dreaming Story has Nine Layers of Ramindjeri Dreaming with each Layer revealing its own Story.

 

RAMINDJERI “MUM:MO:WEE…NUN:KAREE:WALLIN…ME:WE” PEGGERA:LIN

The Ramindjeri Dreaming Story continues its journey through the “MUM:MO:WEE…NUN:KAREE:WALLIN…ME:WE” (All Nations and Tribes Coming Together – ‘In Peace’) Pegerra:lin (Dreaming). Warrant Officer Class One Colin Watego, OAM a very proud Bundjalung man and Torres Strait Islander descendant was invited by Uncle Karno Walker to carry the Ramindjeri Dreaming Story and the Ramindjeri Language after he participated in the Ramindjeri “Feather Ceremony” conducted by Uncle Karno Walker in 2015. In the “Warrior Spirit” of the Ramindjeri Dreaming Story, Warrant Officer Watego also invited other Indigenous serving and ex-serving Soldiers to represent their Indigenous Tribes and Nations whilst respectfully inviting All Nations and Tribes To Come Together – ‘In Peace. Those Soldiers who were invited and accepted the invitation included: Warrant Officer Class One Ken Nelliman (Torres Strait Islander); Warrant Officer Class Two Darren Moffitt (Eora Nation); Sergeant John Angel-Hands (Wiradjuri); Corporal Glen Walters (Kamilaroi); and Corporal Bradley Maynard (Palawa).

The Ramindjeri “MUM:MO:WEE…NUN:KAREE:WALLIN…ME:WE” Dreaming Story was painted onto a Spiritual Bloodwood Didgeridoo (Balugahn Bunaw Yidaki) which was then presented to: Lieutenant General Angus J. Campbell, DSC, AM Chief of the Army on behalf of the Australian Army in Canberra on the 23rd July 2015.

The Ramindjeri Dreaming Artwork was commissioned by Warrant Officer Watego and painted by Warrant Officer Class Two Darren Moffitt. The White Ochre and Light Pascal shades, blended together in Aboriginal Dot-Art symbolises spiritually, “the past, present and future journey”, of all Indigenous Australian Tribes and Nations coming together as one ‘Warrior Spirit’ (Yo:yang:amaldi Mend:in Korn). The central focal-piece of the Ramindjeri Dreaming Artwork is the Water-Coloured Serpent representing the Ramindjeri Dreamtime Creation Story told under the great spirit creator (Win:amalde) where all men are equal. The Serpent is embedded with several Indigenous Water Totems (Natji) and surrounded by Indigenous Land Totems as a symbolic representation of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tribes and Nations. Below the base of the Serpent’s tail is a Traditional Aboriginal Warrior and his weapons (identical to the Warrior represented in the Ramindjeri Wirritjin Peggera:lin). At the tip of the Serpent’s tail is a Dugong (representing Navy) with a Kangaroo (Nurrari) on the left side of the Dugong and an Emu (Pindjarli) on the right side of the Dugong. Contouring the Serpent on either side are Kangaroo tracks on the left hand side and Emu tracks on the right hand side both spiralling towards the head of the Serpent. At the head of the Serpent the animal footprints change to those of two Aboriginal Warriors standing either side of the footprints of a white man Warrior. All three men stand at the base of the Australian Army – Rising Sun Badge. At the top of the Ramindjeri Dreaming Artwork is a Wedge-Tail Eagle (Wulde) soaring adjacent to the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures is used to navigate on land and sea but also spiritually shows the way home for our Warriors. Following the Southern Cross they will never get lost. The Dugong is not only identified as a Totem for some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, but in the Indigenous Artwork ‘The Salute’, the Dugong represents 100 years of Indigenous contribution to the Royal Australian Navy. The Wedge-Tail Eagle similarly not only is the Totem for many Tribes but also symbolises the Royal Australian Air Force.

 

RAMINDJERI WIRRITJIN PEGGERA:LIN

1#

The story is told of Wirritjin long ago by the Ramindjeri People and other Tribal People across our Lands. Wirritjin Peggera:lin (Wirritjin – white fella/ black fella coming and working  together as one and Peggera:lin – Dreaming). Where the mother and father tell our young Warriors (Yo:yang:amaldi Mend:in Korn), “You will never get lost. Always follow the Southern Cross Stars and they will show you the way home”.

2#

The Ramindjeri People have always been known (and well documented) as Whale-Lawmen and Peace-Makers under the Southern Sky, Southern Land, Southern People and Southern Lore.

3#

The ‘Clusters of Dot Circles’ are the spirits of the fallen, ready to be welcomed in “Ceremony” for broken hearts to heal.

4#

Wirritjin was told under the great spirit creator (Win:amalde) where all men are equal. Some of these Warriors believed in their Dreaming so strong that they lied about their names and ages. During this time In legal terms they were not recognised as Australian Citizens. However, in spite of that, they moved forward in their beliefs of Wirritjin.

5#

Kangaroo (Nurrari) and Emu (Pindjarli) are the only two animals that cannot walk / run backwards. Our soldiers fought under the same direction of the Totem (Natji) Animals, “No retreat, no surrender”.

6#

In Ramindjeri Culture “The Hands”, represent the handing down of knowledge.

7#

There are three animal Totems on the Kangaroo Tail; the Sea Turtle which represents (Navy), the Goanna which represents (Army) and the Dragon-Fly which represents (Airforce). These Totems represent present and future Dreaming (Peggera:lin) as they symbolise the journey of our current and future Warriors (Yo:yang:amaldi Mend:in Korn), who too like their ancestors before them are prepared to continue to ‘Protect their Ruwe and pay the Sacrifice for Peace, if necessary’.

 

8#

It has been a vision of the Ramindjeri People since the Dreamtime to bring the spirits of our Fallen Warrior’s home to their Tribal Land (Ruwe), to where they belong.

9#

Broken hearts can be healed from the spirit world and the physical world, as the spirit of our Warriors (Yo:yang:amaldi Mend:in Korn) return home to find their resting place amongst their people in their home land (Ruwe).

The Ramindjeri Wirritjin Pegerra:lin Kangaroo Skin had been smoked and blessed in a “Feather Ceremony”. This Ceremony is of high degree in Ramindjeri Peoples beliefs. It is the highest level Ceremony of “Paying Respect”, in Ramindjeri Culture.

 

Artist: Darren Moffitt copyright Eora Nation

Custodian: Col Watego Bundjalung – Torres Strait Islander 2016: 5 of 100

 

 

Acknowledgement

 

 

 

 

WE RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TRIBAL CUSTODIANS,

OUR TRADITIONAL LAND OWNERS, OUR ELDERS AND THE FAMILIES OF ALL OUR

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE

WHO RELEASED OUR TRIBAL WARRIORS TO SERVE IN AUSTRALIA

AND OVERSEAS – IN PEACE TIME AND IN CONFLICT-

– IN THE DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA –

 

THE RAMINDJERI DREAMING STORY ARTWORK

“MUM MO WEE…NUN KAREE WALLIN…ME WE”

(Black Fella and Black Fella Coming Together – In Peace)

PRESENTED TO (AUNTY) CHRISTINE WALKER (AUNTY UNBULARA) VIVIENNE GREENSHIELDS, BY THE DEFENCE DIRECTORATE OF INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS TO RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTION OF (U

NCLE) KARNO WALKER AND THE PEOPLES OF THE RAMINDJERI NATION

3RD November, 2017

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