Painted at Mowanjum, Western Australia in 1973
Kim Akerman Collection
Mary Macha, Perth
The Thomas Vroom Collection, The Netherlands

John E. Stanton, Painting The Country: Contemporary Aboriginal Art From The Kimberley Region, Western Australia, The University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, WA, 1989, p.16, pl.5

Kim Akerman, Wanjina - Notes on some Iconic Ancestral Beings of the Northern Kimberley, //www.kimberleyfoundation.org.au/akerman-2014/ pp.168-169, p.168 illus."

Painted on a relatively thin and delicate piece of bark. There are several areas of pigment loss, particularly within the rainbow area, the facing left elbow, the chest, and the eyes, with all losses clearly visible in the catalogue illustration. There are small areas where the pigment is flaking on the chest and body. We would recommend that the purchaser consider having this bark stabilised by a conservator, and the bark would benefit from museum mounting or framing to protect it in the future.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This bark painting by Ngarinyin artist, David Mowaljarlai, represents a particular evil spirit or arkula, called Munubunu. The spirit is shown with its talons, magic net and with cysts of poisons on its limbs. A killing stick is by its feet.

Along with the powerful Wanjina beings, the cosmological world of the people of the north and central Kimberley is populated by a host of lesser spirits and sprites, both benevolent and malevolent. This painting is of a particular evil spirit known as an arkula. Arkula are one element of the multiple spirits that are possessed by a dead person.൲ They are the dangerous spirits, jealous of the living, which must be placated and driven away in case they harm them.

Akerman collected the detailed saga in relation to this particular painting from the artist at the time of acquisition. The following details are extracted from Wanjina. Notes on some Iconic Ancestral Beings of the Northern Kimberley. (ibid)"

“Munubunu was an arkula or jangunmara – an evil spirit. He carried a net or web (puyu) with which he enmeshed people who had become vulnerable when they broke their tribal laws. At his joints – elbows, shoulders and knees grew the poisonous fruits called punkoy. This fruit, which he also eats, has made him bitter, and with them he ‘shoots’ his victims embittering them against other people. His hands and feet are equipped with wanti – talons with which he hooks up people. Wanti is also the name of a sharp-spined, prickly, bush. Seen beside the arkula is his killing stick muntu – this is thrust, 💫via the ears of his victims into their brains, driving them mad.

When Munubunu travels his genitals – katu – hit the earth with a shocking crash (palpunan) of forked lightning – jantat, w♓hich is itself, the raw, re൲d, flesh of his subincised urethra. As he moves about he brings darkness (nungimintama), accompanied by an atmosphere of dread and impending doom.

Munubunu was very evil. He once went to an extremely rugged area to gather pin💙ju (wild figs) that grew in abundance there. He gathered a large mount of fruit, which he heaped into piles at the edge of a steep cliff. He then made a smoke signal to bring other people to him.

People in the bush saw his smoke and called out “War🍌ika! Warika!” – “A stranger! A stranger!” They sent out scouts to seek him. Munubunu met the scouts and invited them to bring their kinsfolk to share his fruit. The scouts returned to their clans and told them of the harvest and the intended feast. All of them decided to go and eat the pinju.

To get to the cliff top Munubunu had cut a nyuntu (ladder made from a forked tree) – and up this all the people scrambled, men, women, children and old people - everyone wishedཧ to partake of the figs. While they gorged on the fruit, the people failed to see that Munubunu had climbed down the nyuntu and had removed it.

After knockinღg the ladder ♔away Munubunu sat a little way away from the cliff face and commenced singing:

Mari mungkala kunuwan nungu/Wira mungkal🔯a kunuwan nungu

An ugly place,🐈 you might fall./A cliffy/steep place, you might💮 fall.

That is, the folk are in a high and dangerous place and at risk of falling. Over and over Munubunu chanted his song. Finally the fruit had all been eaten and ඣthe people became aware that the ladder had been removed. They realised the treachery of the evil spirit Munubunu. They beseeched him to help them climb down the steep cliff face, but to no avail. They then tried to climb down unaided, but all finallyᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ slipped and fell to be dashed on the rocks below. Louder and louder rose Munubunu’s chanting, keeping the wailing of the wounded and dying folk from his ears. Finally all his guests were dead.

On another occasion, Munubunu heard the wailing of a mourning burial party as they took the bones of a dead 🍬man to his Wanjina cave. The dead mꦐan had been a favourite of the tribe and the people were bemoaning the loss of his presence from their company. Munubunu tried to catch up to the party in order to accompany them to the cave but night fell and he took shelter in another cave.

In 🐼the cave he transfo🙈rmed himself into a painting.

The cave where this transformation occurred is on the Hunter River and is named after the arkula – it is called Munubunu.”

KA