Julieanne Malibirr, Gapuwiyak - Woven Dilly Bag

Bulpu are made from Gunga (Pandanus Spiralis), using a twining process. The twining technique may be thought of as the twisting together of elements. Artists take two twisting lengths of pandanus and work them across a series of vertical or radiating lengths. The twisting lengths are the 'active' elements of the structure and the radiating lengths are 'passive'. Variation occurs through changing the density, the order, or the colour. The Gunga is coloured with natural bush dyes. Balgurr Raki (hand-spun string from the Kurrajong tree) is used to finish the bulpu and provide a handle. The Bulpu design is based on the traditional Bathi or Dimbuka, used in ceremonies. Bulpu are also used for collecting and carrying. During the Wangarr (Dreaming) creator ancestors used Bulpu for the same purposes they are used today, but their baskets were plain pandanus.

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.

We take great pride in offering high-quality, authentic Aboriginal Art pieces to you. However, we are aware that there have been instances (and recent press relating to the unaffiliated APYACC) in the Aboriginal Art market where the authenticity of some artworks has been called into question. We want to assure you and all of our customers that we firmly stand behind the authenticity of every artwork we sell.

In addition to our extended 120 days standard returns, we are pleased to offer a lifetime money-back authenticity guarantee to all customers who purchase Aboriginal Art from us, both past and present. This guarantee covers any disrepute or wrongdoing in association with the authenticity of any Aboriginal artwork sold by ART ARK®. We understand that purchasing authentic Aboriginal Art is important to you, and we want to provide you with peace of mind in knowing that they are getting what you paid for.

As part of our commitment to authentic Aboriginal Art, we work with reputable Aboriginal Art centres that we know are committed to maintaining the integrity of Aboriginal Art. Additionally, we continually monitor all aspects of the Aboriginal Art market and are acutely aware of, and are proactive in addressing any issues arising.

We take the authenticity of Aboriginal Art seriously and are committed to providing you with high-quality and genuine works of art. If you have any concerns about the authenticity of any art piece you purchased from us, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will investigate further. If we find any wrongdoing or disrepute in regards to the provenance or authenticity of any artwork we have sold we will happily provide a full refund to you at any time in the future outside of our standard returns policy. 

Thank you for choosing ART ARK® for your Aboriginal Art purchasing. We are honoured to provide you with authentic, high-quality art pieces and look forward to continuing to serve you.