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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Nambin (black headed python), 2018

by Shirley Purdie

Nambin (black headed python), 2018

“Well, my grandmother was Nambin, because my mum and dad were married the right way. And that’s my Ngawji, like my grandmother’s skin name. My father’s mother. The story for Nambin is the same one for Garnkiny (the moon), who is the skin Julama (crocodile).”

The story of Nambin and Garnkiny is told through many Warmun paintings, as the Garnkiny Ngarranggarni (Moon Dreaming). Garnkiny fell in love with his mother in law, the beautiful black headed python, and this was forbidden. The tribe disallowed the relationship and Garnkiny got angry. He cursed the tribe, saying they would die and they would never come back, while he, the moon, would come back every night forever.

So Fine
(More information, View all 98 images)

Ngalingalim berrem (Women’s one’s)
Gooral Gooral (stormbird and Willy wagtail)
Skin group from my father’s mother’s side
Marlowal Nagarra (rock wallaby skin)

Related information

Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey

So Fine

Contemporary women artists make Australian history

Previous exhibition, 2018

This exhibition features new works from ten women artists reinterpreting and reimagining elements of Australian history, enriching the contemporary narrative around Australia’s history and biography, reflecting the tradition of storytelling in our country.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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