Namondjok

From AustraliaWiki

One of the most complex rockpaintings in the Kakadu Nationalpark is the image called Namondjok. It tells different stories for different clans. It contains many images in one big image. The Indigenous People still keep symbols secret. Due to this fact exact image descriptions still are not available. We must be satisfied with the limited information.

• The main person in this rockpainting is Namondjok on the upper left side.
  • In one version Namondjok is one of the ancestors in the Dreamtime. He lives in the sky above the earth. At night you can watch him as a dark point in the Milky Way.
  • In another version Namondjok violated the law due to Incest (please note the local cultural differences) with his sister. After this violation a feather of her headdress transformed into a rock in the region of Burrunggui. You can see this rock at the Gunwarddehwardde Lookout. It is called today the Nourlangie Rock.

Namondjok was transformed into a Estuarine Crocodile.

• On the right side of Namondjok you can see Namarrgon. He is also known as Lightning Man.

During the dry season Namarrgon is at home at the rocks in the area of todays Kakadu Nationalpark. During the wet season he went outside and features thunderstorms and lightnings. In the image the lightnings are illustrated as the circle around Namarrgon. He called the lightnings with the help of his stone axes striking against the country/earth. He woke up the dry land with lot of water that is important for all to live.

• Below on the left side of Namondjok you can see Barrginj.

Barrginj is Namarrgons wife.

• On the bottom of this rockpainting - below the three ancestors - you see in widescreen a lot of family members.

There are shown men and women. They are all on the way to a ceremony. You can find it out because of their solemn clothing.

• You cannot see the children of Namondjok and his wife Barrginj.

Their children are the Alyurr (= Leichhardt's grasshoppers). The Alyurr gave the Indigenous People all values like language and culture.

• A lot of questions are not anwered. For example:
  • Why is Namondjoks sister not shown?
  • Why are the children of Namondjok and his wife Barrginj not shown?
  • What is the context between Namondjoks wife and the Lightning Man?
  • Why is the image painted in the X-Ray Look?

See also

• In the main-article of the paintings you find more information and examples.