Petrographs in Australia with Amazing History

The above photo around Kunnurra depicts part of the mystery and energy I previously spoke about loving when discovering Aboriginal art and petrographs. It felt like there could be signs of the ancient past found anywhere when walking through the  bush – as we found out when staying with a local through couchsurfing.

When our van broke down in Kunnurra our couchsurfing host took us for a walk into the bush to look for petrographs. Couchsurfing is a worldwide network of people who volunteer their couch, floor space or extra bedroom to allow other travellers to stay with them. If you can offer a sleeping space to someone else in the future, then you are welcome to join. A big premise of the whole idea is to build trust in a global community and instill there are lots of good people in the world – this is simply a platform to connect on.

We were driving down the highway and our host pulled the car off the road. As a guest passing through, we would have never known to stop where he did.

Our host lead us over to some rocks and says, “Have a look over there.”

We all bend down to discover petrographs beneath the overhang of these rocks. There were no signs, we were not on a trail and there were no other indications to tell you there were paintings here.

On the third attempt to leave Kunnurra, (third attempt because we tried two other times and despite mechanics swearing on their mothers grave the van was fixed, it broke down two more times within thirty miles and one of those times we had to get towed back), our gracious host continued to take us to see all sorts of local treasures.

Eventually we got out of Kunnurra and moved on to view World Heritage petrograph sites in Kakadu National Park where Chris is walking above. Even in these world renown locations, it felt like we were walking in the bush similar to the way it was when the Aboriginals were first here.

It was common that one artist would paint over another artist when telling the story.

The painting of this sail boat was of particular interest. Kakadu is about 100 kilometers or 65 miles as the crow flies from the ocean and 171 kilometers or 106 miles from Darwin. This begs the question of whom, how and where was a sail boat this big seen and then recorded.

Our land has a big story. Sometimes we tell a little bit at a time. Come and hear our stories, see our land. A little bit might stay in your hearts. If you want more, you come back.
Jacob Nayinggul – Manilakarr clan

At times there were plaques to describe the interpretation of the petrographs, however it was also interesting that some of stories in the paintings could not be told to just anyone. For example, some stories would have to wait till manhood, or were for woman only, or could not be told to someone outside the clan. Sometimes Aboriginals would have an interpretation for outsiders and a separate interpretation for their own clan.

As these expressions of the petrographs of art and culture have embedded their impressions on me, I hope this timeless advice from Jacob Nayinggul will leave a lasting impression on you:

In Kunwinjku, I can tell you that in this country, the trees, the water and streams, and the plants give us our food.