Summary

In Arnhem Land, armbands and armlets were created for and worn by men, women and children, and very small ones were even made for babies. Nganybak is a generic name for armbands made from a single length of two ply string wound around a section of Flagellaria cane. Another name for feathered armbands is wurrwa. This armband was made for a child. The ancestors or wangarr who created the Arnhem Land landscape during their travels in the long past originally wore these armbands. String or raki is most often made from the softened and shredded fibres of the inner bark of the Kurrajong (Brachychiton paradoxum). It is produced by rolling two strands of the fibre along the thigh away from the body, and then with a backward rolling motion, pressure is applied with the base of the hand causing the twisted fibres to ply.

Local Name

ngaimbak

Physical Description

A circular armband made of cane (most likely Flagelleria sp) overwound with vegetable fibre string. White feathers have been spun into the string.

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