Gabriel Maralngurra was born in 1968 and lives in Oenpelli Western Arnhemland N.T. He has featured in 6 exhibitions throughout Australia and has worked as an ambassador for the Injalak Arts and Crafts Centre in Oenpelli.
The old people used to hunt ngarrbek (echidnas) at night time, when the moon was shining. They would take dogs with them, and the dogs would smell ngarrbek. And the old people would see her and get her and take her home. If there was no moon they wouldn't go, but if there was, they would go and look for ngarrbek. Echidnas eat termites, Allan has painted these two Ngarrbek searching for termites in a hollow log.
Ngarrbek has the female Yirridjdja moiety skin Ngalkangila. If she smells the campfire of a Nabulanj man, the right skin for her, she will pine after him, as she used to be a woman in the Dreamtime.
Ngalbu ngarrbek ngalka mayh ngalkuken ngadberre.bu ngarringun. Korroko dabborrabbolk birrirey kukak bu dird bolkwolkani. Wanjh birrikakrey duruk dorrengh birrirey birrikebkani duruk nomi ngalbu ngarrbek wanjh birrinani birrimangi ngalbu ngarrbek birrikani kured. Minj birrirawinj bu dirdyak dja bu dird di wanjh birrirey birrikakdirdkani birriyawani ngalbu ngarrbek.
(Story: Injalak Arts, Andrew Manakgu)
