More on Kakadu.
Kakadu is not only famous for its wildlife, but for the Aboriginal rock art that it contains. There are two major sites, Nourlangie and Ubirr. Both are accessible along sealed roads, have helpful interpretive panels and if you turn up at the right times and places a Park Ranger will deliver a free talk. Great.
After reading the post about Kakadu's weather you will be wondering how any painting avoids being washed away during the Wet. The trick is to paint on the highest hills and to paint on sheltered surfaces. Both locations were superb sites for wet season camps, with rocks strategically leaning over to provide shelter from the rain and allow artwork to survive for thousands of years.
The talks at Nourlangie were especially good, and we learned much about Aboriginal culture. this included the complex system of who you were and were not allowed to marry. Adult brothers and sisters are not even allowed to talk to each other, let alone marry. Likewise a man and his mother-in-law may not speak BUT the man has an obligation to support the mother-in-law. The mind boggles.
Anyway, here are some examples of the art:
Lightning Man has a loop of lightning and stone axes tied to his knees to deliver the thunder. The little growths from his head may be more axes or may be antennae. There is a red grasshopper that appears in its adult form during the thunderstorm season and is associated with Lightning Man.
Alas, I have not got the story of this painting with me. I will look it up and post it later.
This kangaroo is in a much older 'solid' style.
A particularly fine example of an overhang. There are paintings on the far left. The partly obscured rocks just in front of the railing have several indentations where paint or seeds were ground down.
Blogger is misbehaving today. Will post some more art later.
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