Audrey Marrday, Bardarr (Paperbark leaf) Weaving, 140x65cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Audrey Marrday
• Community - Gapuwiyak
• Aboriginal Art centre - Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts
• Art centre catalogu number - 23-541
• Materials - Pandanus, natural dyes.
• Size(cm) -  H65 W140
• Postage Variant - Sent flat

The Paperbark is a revered plant with many uses. The leaves and the bark are used in bush medicine. Sheets of bark have many uses that include roofing for shelters, water carriers and soft blankets for babies. There are many names for the tree and its parts and the tree is danced and sung in Yirritja songlines.

Gapuwiyak Culture and Arts Aboriginal Corporation is a recent initiative of the remote East Arnhem Land community of Gapuwiyak, also known as Lake Evella. The organisation is not-for-profit. It was created to enhance the wellbeing of Yolngu people living in the region by supporting their cultural practices, values and intellectual property while providing opportunities for leadership, meaningful employment, and professional development.

Pandanus are palm-like, dioecious trees and shrubs, their leaves “pandan” are commonly used in traditional handicraft. The young leaves are harvested and sliced into fine strips, followed by a colouring process, in which the strips are placed in drums of bush dyes, roots and leaves from different plants sourced in the area. Dye is extracted through bashing and crushing techniques, then added to the water with the pandanus to create these vivid hues. The pandan strips are then woven into intricate baskets and mats or rolled into ropes for other designs.