Ramingining, Northern Territory facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ramingining Northern Territory
Ramingining Location in Northern Territory
Postcode(s)	0822
Location	560 km (348 mi) E of Darwin
LGA(s)	East Arnhem Region
Territory electorate(s)	Mulka
Federal Division(s)	Lingiari

Ramingining is a special Aboriginal Australian community in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is home to many Yolngu people. The community is about 560 km east of Darwin. It is located near the Arafura Swamp in an area called Arnhem Land. Tiny communities called outstations, like Wulkabimirri and Murwangi, are also nearby. Murwangi is now part of the Ramingining Homelands. Another remote community, Marwuyu Gulparil, is also close by.

History of Ramingining

The Ramingining community started in the early 1970s. It became officially recognized as Aboriginal land thanks to a law passed in 1976. Its name was officially recorded as an important area in 2007.

The village helped make the 2006 film Ten Canoes. Many actors from Ramingining and nearby Murwangi were in the movie. This film made people around the world interested in Yolngu and Australian Aboriginal culture. Because of this, a project called Twelve Canoes was created. It includes a website and twelve short films. These films were shown on SBS TV in Australia. They are also available to watch online.

Who Lives in Ramingining?

In 2016, the village had 811 people living there. The main language spoken in Ramingining is Djambarrpuyngu. Other languages like Gupapuyngu, Ganalbingu, Liyagalawumirr, and Burarra are also spoken. If you include the tiny Wulkabimirri community, the total population was 1025 people.

Outstations and Homelands

There are many small, remote settlements around Ramingining. These are called outstations or homelands. Some of these places include Yatalamarra, Wulkarimirra, Ngangalala, Mulgurram, Garanydjirr, Galadjapin, Gattji, Gelirri, Manbbirri, Bundatharri, and Gurulul.

Marwuyu Gulparil is located to the south. It takes about an hour and a half to reach by four-wheel drive and boat. Marwuyu is known as the homeland of the famous actor and dancer David Gulpilil.

Life in Ramingining

You need a special permit to visit Ramingining. Alcohol is not allowed in Ramingining for anyone, whether they live there or are visiting.

The village has an airstrip where planes from Fly Tiwi land. There is also a general store, a school, a police station, and a health clinic. The health clinic is run by a local Aboriginal organization.

Ramingining school has a special connection with Cockatoo Primary School in Cockatoo, Victoria. Students from both schools visit each other. Year 5 students and teachers from Cockatoo visit Ramingining for a week. A few weeks later, Year 5 and 6 students from Ramingining visit Cockatoo.

Since 2009, Year 9 boys from St Kevin's College in Melbourne have visited Ramingining. This has become a regular exchange program. Loreto Mandeville Hall in Melbourne also has a similar program.

Bula'bula Arts Centre

Bula'bula Arts is a special art centre run by the community. It started in the 1980s. The Bula'bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation owns it. Local artists chose the name "Bula'bula." It means "the voice" or "tongue" of Gandayala (or Garrtjambal). This is the red kangaroo, a very important creation being in The Dreaming stories of Ramingining.

In the local songline, Garrtjambal traveled from the Roper River to Ramingining. It carried an important message (bula'bula). This story is shared through art, songs, dances, films, and written works.

In 1984, Djon Mundine, an artist and curator, worked with the University of Sydney on an art show. It featured over 200 artworks from Ramingining. These artworks were later bought by the gallery. Djon Mundine became an art adviser for Bula'Bula Arts. In 1988, he came up with the idea for the Aboriginal Memorial. Forty-three artists from Bula'Bula created this artwork for Australia's Bicentenary. It is an art installation with 200 hollow log coffins (also called burial poles or dupun). You can see it permanently at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

The art centre is located at 19 Warrk Road, Ramingining. It sells artworks across Australia and to other countries. Artists' work has been shown in New York City, London, and Berlin. As of April 2023, Mel George is the executive director. About 150 artists own the centre. They live in Ramingining and the eleven nearby outstations. These include Yatalamarra, Wulkarimirra, Ngangalala, Mulgurram, Garanydjirr, Galadjapin, Gattji, Gelirri, Manbbirri, Bundatharri, and Gurulul.

Many types of arts and crafts are made at Bula'Bula. This includes traditional weaving. Women like Evonne Munuyngu and Mary Dhalapany are well-known weavers at the centre. They use machetes to cut down tall pandanus leaves. They remove the sharp edges to get the fiber inside. Then they find plants like djundom (morinda citrifolia) roots to dye the fibers. They crush the roots and boil them with the pandanus fiber. After that, they make things like dillybags (mindirr), mats, fish traps, and woven hats. Some of their woven items have been shown in fashion shows.

Bula'Bula Arts also helps young Indigenous people learn new skills. They offer training in areas like horticulture, office work, business, and curatorship. In April 2023, a video of two young men dancing at the art centre became very popular online. Their grandfathers helped start the centre.

Designs made by Bula'Bula artists are printed on clothes, purses, and tea towels. These items, along with woven art, sculptures, and paintings, are sold by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney.

Other Famous Artists

• David Malangi Daymirringu (1927-1999) was an artist from Ramingining. His artwork, Mortuary feast of Gurrmirringu, was featured on the old Australian one-dollar note.
• Philip Gudthaykudthay (1920s/30s–2022) was also known as "Pussycat." This is because the quoll, or native cat, was his totem. He painted at the centre and often used the kangaroo motif in his work. He also painted the Wagilag sisters, goannas, echidnas, and frogs. In 2006, he played an important role in Rolf de Heer's film Ten Canoes.

Tourism in the Region

The Northern Territory Government has given money to help tourism projects in this area. This is part of their plan to encourage more visitors to the northern parts of the state.