iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Hello,

After having recognized his "Djalu" mandapul on first glimpse, a friend came up recently with a good question :
"what in the painting makes you say it's a "Djalu" ?"

The fact is, the painting was of the most common "Djalu style" type (red and yellow with 3 times 3 black rings enhanced in white contours).
But it can be pushed further, on different types of patterned mandapul : "what's the relation between Djalu and all the different patterns he paints ?"
(and even further if we consider ALL BlackFellas' trad' sticks production... but let's stick to Djalu to keep it simple)

Here are a few pictures gathered on the web (SS) of different mandapuls made by Djalu :











We can see 2 different styles : one with cross-hatches, and one without (only with rings).
Another "more elaborated style" is absent : with rings, cross-hatches and an animal figure.
In each style, we remark some similarities... as well as many differences too !


Here are my guesses as to why are there so many differences in sticks made by only one maker.
Please correct me if I'm wrong and add your two pennies (or more if you've got an invaluable answer !).

- The 3 mentioned styles (rings alone, rings+crosshatch, rings+crosshatch+animal) increase the "decorative value" of the instrument.
It's obvious that it takes less time to paint rings than cross-hatches.
Does it have to do with the musical value ? Or only with its "destination" (for ceremony, for sale, for use, sacred, profane,etc...) ?
Both ? Something else ?

- Each BlackFella is a keeper of many different legends/dreams/totems/etc... especially if he has the status of a master, like Djalu has.
He hence has several styles he is authorized to paint.

- Painting in one style still leaves some creativity to the artist... he can compose with the given style as his artistic talent allows him to do so, as long as the basis is represented.

- Djalu lets other people paint his sticks (i.e : his wife Dopiya). The other painter might then also be allowed to paint some of his/her own dreams on the stick too, hence still increasing the number of different basis that can be found on one maker's sticks.

- I guess a ringed red-yellow stick carries the same "dream" as a ringed red-yellow one with addition of a cross-hatch pattern ? And even the same as a ringed red-yellow one + cross-hatch + animal ? Maybe the simply-ringed one is a condensate of the more evolved one ?

- Maybe it's not about the number of rings nor about the colour sequence ? But then I'd be totally lost here ! Help

Thanks for sharing your views...

Djalu's sticks are usually painted in his Galpu (tribe/clan) patterns based on items sacred to them, although it is quite rare to get a stick that Djalu painted himself these days. As Dhopiya is Yirritja and from the Gumatj clan sometimes her families designs are painted.

Apart from the distinctive painted decoration, I also find Djalu's (and the rest of the Gurruwiwi extended family involved in Rripangu Mandapul (?)) sticks instantly recognizable in their shape and the look of the mouthpieces and distal ends (wall thickness, chisel marks etc).

Many of the banded patterns are 'body painting' based on sacred snakes and other secret/sacred information. I think many of the instruments made for sale are adorned with intricate painting that would not be put on the instrument were it to be solely used in the community. Of course it's easier to sell a beautiful stick and at the end of the day they are running a business!

Kyle

Thanks for your answer Kyle.
Yes of course, I forgot to mention the most obvious of the reasons : clan's patterns !

Do you know the specific "colour & pattern codes" for each of these two Yolngu clans ? Galpu and Gumatj ?
Is the alternatively "yellow & red" background (+black&white rings) specific to Galpu ?

Is the alternatively "red & black" background (+yellow&white rings) specific to Gumatj ?

What about the "yellow & black" background (+red&white rings) ?

And the all-red background (+ various colour rings) ?


And what about the number of ring-groups ? Usually 3 or 4... depending on the stick's length ?
And the number of rings in each group ? Usually 2 or 3... grading the instrument's quality ? I guess not...

Here are 2 pictures taken by Sylvie last summer :

There is a scene in the DVD "Our Generation" where the dancers are painted... like mandapuls ! (or as you say, rather mandapuls are painted like dancers... or even better : the same patterns are represented both on dancers and on mandapuls).
Can't get hold of this picture on the web though...
Seems like this ceremony with these paintings is not of the most common kind.
If trad' Yolngu didges were to be painted with the same motives as dancers, they might look very much like Magos in the end (white hand prints) most of the time.
Not to say I don't believe you Kyle, I do, and it makes lot of sense... just trying to figure out why this particular (rare) ceremony ?

There are many styles of body painting used for different ceremonies. In the dhapi initiation (circumcision ceremony) the young boys are usually painted in beautiful bark painting quality clan designs ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollyhemming/2139588075/ ). Sometimes just bands on the arms and chest are used.

Guan is well versed in the Galpu depictions on sticks and could give you a good answer with regard to your questions about different banding. I believe that the different colours/combinations refer to different snakes/stories etc all within the same (somewhat strict) Galpu mythology within the greater Yolngu creation story context.

Yes I'll also wait for Guan's word. (thanks for yours Kyle)
Hope he'll be able to give us some keys to break some of the graphic codes behind these patterns.

I've managed to do some print-screens of the Yolngu ceremony as seen on the "Our Generation" DVD, where dancers are painted with red, white and yellow rings all over their body... "mandapul-style" :