"Our dad's painting is hiding, in secret place": reverberations of a rock painting episode in Kakadu National Park, Australia
Date
2021
Authors
Goldhahn, J.
Biyalwanga, L.
May, S.K.
Blawgur, J.
Taçon, P.S.C.
Sullivan, J.
Johnston, I.G.
Lee, J.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Rock Art Research, 2021; 38(1):59-69
Statement of Responsibility
Joakim Goldhahn, Linda Biyalwanga, Sally K. May, Julie Blawgur, Paul S.C. Taçon, Joanne Sullivan, Iain G. Johnston and Jeffrey Lee
Conference Name
Abstract
This paper presents and discusses a 1972 rock painting episode at Koongarra in Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, Australia. This painting, which depicts a macropod, was created by Billy Miargu when he camped at a sandstone outlier with his wife and young daughter. It was documented by two rock art scholars, George Chaloupka and Robert Edwards, but interpreted as untraditional 'casual art'. Using a community-based approach, we re-evaluate this painting episode by (i) exploring the depicted subject matter from an emic perspective, demonstrating how it refers to the origin myth of an important ceremony, and, (ii) through interviews with the descendants of the artist, we discuss and investigate how the 1972 painting episode is commemorated and understood today. Our findings are grounded in contemporary discussion within anthropology and archaeology that explores multivocal Indigenous voices in the interpretation of material culture in general, and rock art in particular.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
Access Status
Rights
Copyright Australian Rock Art Research Association Inc. May 2021