Item X 22334 bulbbe or wongkorr | Basket. East Alligator River, Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. 1916

Summary

Arnhem Land women took great care with conical baskets, using them for many years as evident in this old basket that shows evidence of past repairs. It was identified by western Arnhem Land elders as being a wongkorr that was made by a member of the Miyali people whose country lies southeast of the Gunbalanya community. One of the older women amongst the group who visited the museum in 2004 commented that this 'dilly bag', the term often applied to these baskets is 'a really old one ... broken ... We don't know which man or woman made this one. Sugarbag (beeswax) for glue.' Remnants of feathers are to be found in the basket, and the late Thompson Yulidjirri commented that this was still a 'public one', and they noted that it was similar to one they had seen in a film at the Australian Museum.

Local Name

bulbbe or wongkorr

Physical Description

A twined conical basket made from pandanus with close weave and decorated with natural pigments. The multistrand vegetable fibre string handle is attached to the rim at the back of the basket. At least one hole has been patched on the outside possibly with beeswax.