Djambu Barra Barra facts for kids

Djambu Barra Barra (also known as Sambo Barra Barra) was an Indigenous Australian artist. He lived in Ngukurr, a community in Australia's Northern Territory. Ngukurr is known for its many talented artists and different art styles. Djambu Barra Barra was one of these important artists. He lived from about 1946 to 2005.

About Djambu Barra Barra

Djambu Barra Barra was born around 1946. His birthplace was near Nilipidgi, by the Walker River. He grew up in the Wagilak community. For a long time, he had no contact with the modern world. This was different from many other artists in Ngukurr. Most of them had grown up with some contact with Europeans.

Djambu Barra Barra left his community after a difficult time. He then traveled across Arnhem Land. During his travels, he learned a lot about his culture. He learned about special rituals, ceremonies, and stories. He also discovered many different art styles from various clans in Arnhem Land. He brought all this knowledge with him when he settled in Ngukurr.

In Ngukurr, he met and married Amy Johnson. Djambu Barra Barra became a respected leader in the community. He knew a lot about Aboriginal ceremonies and culture. He eventually became the leader for initiation and funeral ceremonies in Ngukurr. This was partly because of his Wagilak background. The Wagilak clan played a special role in purification ceremonies at funerals.

Djambu Barra Barra belonged to the Dhuwa moiety. In Aboriginal Australian culture, the world is split into two main groups: Dhuwa and Yirritja. Everything belongs to one or the other. These groups decide which animals, special places, and stories a person can paint. They also decide who a person can marry. Because Djambu Barra Barra was Dhuwa, he could paint plains kangaroos, crocodiles, and other figures. These often appear in his artworks.

Djambu Barra Barra's Art Career

Djambu Barra Barra started his art career in Ngukurr around 1987. Ngukurr is in south-eastern Arnhem Land, along the Roper River. As a young man, he learned how to paint on bodies and bark for ceremonies. He knew about many painting styles from different parts of Arnhem Land. His background was Yolŋu, but his art looked more like styles from central and western Arnhem Land.

In 1986, Djambu Barra Barra took part in a printmaking course. This was at Ngukurr Arts. Other artists, like Ginger Riley Manduwalawala, were also there. Barra Barra and Manduwalawala decided they wanted to focus on painting. They started using screen printing ink directly on fabric with brushes. This course helped Djambu Barra Barra develop his unique painting style. It set him on the path to becoming a well-known artist.

These Ngukurr artists were known for using bright colors and being very creative. They especially became famous for using acrylic paint on canvas. This was a Western art material. Using it made their art stand out from other Aboriginal artists. Djambu Barra Barra led this new way of painting. He used ideas from many different tribes in Arnhem Land. His art was a striking mix of old traditions and new ideas. This made him a very unique artist.

His early paintings were often very large. They showed a clear confidence in what he was painting. His early work, Crocodile Story (1987), was shown at a big art award event. This painting had a crooked canvas shape, which was unusual. Djambu Barra Barra said about the crocodile in his painting: "The crocodile has creative thoughts, like humans. He knows how heavy the floods will be. He builds a very clever nest. His eyes are no longer eyes. They are fire."

He was best known for using bright, bold colors and traditional designs. He even asked for "fluoro colors" in 1987. He could also paint rarrk (a traditional cross-hatching design) using acrylic paint. His paintings were usually full of detail. They often had large figures as the main focus. His style often included symmetrical and circular backgrounds. These backgrounds drew attention to the main figures, especially in paintings about ceremonies.

Many of his paintings showed ancestral beings and funeral scenes. He also painted his and his mother's dreamings, like the kangaroo and crocodile. Yolngu art can be divided into two groups: figurative (showing figures) and geometric (using shapes). Djambu Barra Barra also painted "big corroboree stories." These were about different ceremonies. A common figure in these paintings was the devil devil, also called Nakaran. He is shown as a giant man with magic powers.

Djambu Barra Barra also worked with his wife, Amy Jirwulurr Johnson, for almost 20 years. Amy was born on the Roper River. Her mother taught her about Aboriginal culture. Amy used bright, contrasting colors, similar to her husband. She focused on primary colors and often painted animals and plants with great detail. They both showed their art in many group exhibitions in Melbourne from 1989 to 1997. Their works shared some ideas and styles. However, Amy Johnson's art showed animals from her mother's country. Djambu Barra Barra's art focused more on ancestral figures and totems.

Ngukurr Arts Community

Ngukurr started as a mission in 1908. It was called the Roper River Mission. The mission aimed to help the community with farming, education, and spiritual life. The number of Indigenous people living there changed often. European missionaries at the time did not value Aboriginal culture. In 1968, the government took control. Policies then began to change, moving away from trying to make everyone the same.

Ngukurr Arts refers to the art community that grew at Roper River. This community helped bring together the many Aboriginal cultures in the area. The artists in this group were known for their different styles. They all came together because they loved new ideas. They also all used bright, striking colors in their art. This made it hard to define Ngukurr Arts in one way. The Roper River artists wanted their art to be different from older Aboriginal traditions.

Despite their differences, Ngukurr Art gave artists a place to work and collaborate. This network helped many artists become famous in the art world. Ngukurr Arts organized trips to other art centers. It also helped artists get money, set up exhibitions, and learn about selling and managing their art. The Ngukurr Arts group worked closely with Anthony and Beverly Knight. They directed the Alcaston Gallery in Melbourne. The Knights loved Ginger Riley's works and bought many of them. Many of these paintings are now in the National Gallery of Victoria. This support helped the Roper River artists become well-known in Western art markets.

Other Roper River Artists

Some other important artists from the Roper River area include:

• Ginger Riley Manduwalawala
• Willie Gudabi
• Moima Willie
• Gertie Huddleston
• Amy Jirwulurr Johnson

Art in the 1980s and Beyond

The 20th century was a time of great new ideas in art. Many art movements around the world wanted to create something "new" and different. For example, Pop Art focused on taking traditional ideas and showing them in new ways. They often used screen printing and bright colors. This is similar to how the Ngukurr artists worked. A lot of the success of the Roper River artists, including Djambu Barra Barra, came from this time. People were open to new and unique art styles.

Djambu Barra Barra's Legacy

Djambu Barra Barra was also a very important ceremony leader in his community. In his later years, he led both initiation and funeral ceremonies. The culture of the Roper River region had faced challenges due to changes in the area. This meant many people had lost touch with their heritage. There was little artistic tradition left.

Djambu Barra Barra helped bring back these traditions. He also helped the art industry grow. He was part of the Ngukurr Adult Education Committee. He took part in its first classes. He brought valuable knowledge from his travels across Arnhem Land. This included ceremonies, songs, and art styles. This helped people reconnect with their traditions after a difficult period.

Djambu Barra Barra showed how new ideas and old traditions could mix. His art style was special because it drew from so many different places. He combined these influences into one strong artistic voice. He is highly respected for his amazing skill in painting rarrk (cross-hatching) with acrylic paints on canvas. His passion for trying new things made him a standout artist among contemporary Aboriginal artists.

Notable Artworks

Where His Art is Kept

Djambu Barra Barra's artworks are held in important collections, including:

• National Gallery of Australia
• National Gallery of Victoria
• University of Wollongong
• Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia

Important Exhibitions

Djambu Barra Barra's art has been shown in many exhibitions:

• 1987: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Darwin
• 1987: Beat Strit – 10 years on, Melbourne
• 1989-1997: Group shows at Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
• 1992: Group show at Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne
• 1992, 1995, 1996: Group shows at Hogarth Gallery, Sydney
• 1994: Group show at Gallerie Australis, Adelaide
• 1998: Devil Devil. Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne
• 1999: Daily Life in Ngukurr: Sambo Barra Barra and Amy Johnson. Rebecca Hosack Art Gallery, London.
• 2004-2005: Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
• 2009-2010: Colour Country: Art from the Roper River. This exhibition traveled to several galleries, including Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Flinders University Art Museum in Adelaide, and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin.