Buy Indigenous Bags, Clutches & Purses – Aboriginal‑Designed Accessories

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-ABR800

This is a popular dreaming story of a group of sisters being chased through the desert by one man. There are numerous scenarios as the women travel around, chased by Wati Nyiru. Land forms were created as they all travelled though the countryside Eventually they rose up into the sky and form the Pleiades, a cluster of stars seen in the southern skies. There are many variations of this story, each language group has it's own chapters that relate to the landscape in their own country.

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-MNM600

In this Dreaming story, two dog ancestors, a Jampijinpa and a Napangardi, travelled from the west to the east. At Tapu (a rockhole), the two dogs separated. The female dog, Napangardi, went to the south. The male dog, Jampijinpa, went to the north. Eventually he became lonely and howled for Napangardi in the south. She came running to him, and they married each other at Ngarnka. They wore men's and women's marriage headdresses, and Jampijinpa painted himself with white clay for the ceremony. The two dogs continued running east, before arriving in Warlaku (Ali Curung). Many other dogs were living in Warlaku when they arrived. There were many families of dogs, mothers and fathers and children and uncles all living together. Jampijinpa and Napangardi made a burrow to rest in and started a big family of dogs there. They chose to stay in Warlaku and live with all the other dogs. In this way, the malikijarra Jukurrpa (two dogs Dreaming) tells the story of proper conduct in families and marriages.

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-AAD777

The sisters created the landscape as they tried to escape from Wati Nyiru. They created a rock hole which went under the ground and came up on the other side of the hill. The women dived into the water then flew up into the sky. Wati Nyiru followed them . Now, Wati Nyiru can be seen to the south of the seven sisters (the Pleiades), as he still chases them across the sky.

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-SIT179

Simplicia paints a story about an old lady who travelled around with her six kids looking for food and water. When the old lady couldn't find anything, she started making a hole and then the water came out. Lots of different animals came to the waterhole. The old lady made four islands like Darwin, Bathurst and here (Melville Island). She made the waters and all the sea animals like crabs, barramundis, mud mussels, longbums, stingrays, turtles, dugongs, fishes that were good for food. Then she made the islands. The old lady travelled with her kids on her back, making the islands. Old and young people came and they were making a fire and dancing around it. They were happy for all the water everywhere.

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-SJN668

Janganpa Jukurrpa (common brush-tail possum [Trichosurus vulpecula] Dreaming) travels all over Warlpiri country. Janganpa are nocturnal animals that often nest in the hollows of white gum trees (wapunungka). This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of janganpa ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wirlki and Wanapirdi, where they found pamapardu (flying ants). They journeyed on to Ngarlkirdipini looking for water. A Nampijinpa women was living at Mawurrji with her two daughters. She gave her daughters in marriage to a Jupurrurla janganpa but later decided to run away with them. The Jupurrurla angrily pursued the woman. He tracked them to Mawurrji where he killed them with a stone axe. Their bodies are now rocks at this place. Warlpiri people perform a young men's initiation ceremony, which involves the Janganpa Jukurrpa. The Janganpa Jukurrpa belongs to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men and Nakamarra/Napurrurla women. In Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent this Jukurrpa. Janganpa tracks are often represented as E shaped figures and concentric circles are used to depict the trees in which the janganpa live, and also the sites at Mawurrji.

Quilted Baby Bag 14x20 cm-MNM650

Big Tote Bags - 48x35x15cm-MNA339

Mitjili paints the Watiya Tjuta tree. Mitjili's style is unique and recognisable. The Watiya Tjuta in Mitjili's paintings is her father's Tjukurrpa (dreaming) in Ilyingaungau country (Gibson Desert). This was passed down to her by her mother, Tjunkayi Napaltjareri when story telling, using the same to draw the story as it is told in the traditional way. She remembers After I got married, my mother taught me my father's Tjukurrpa in the sand, that's what I'm painting on the canvas, a women's interpretation.

Big Tote Bags - 48x35x15cm-LWA624

Wakirlpirri is a very useful tree that grows on the sides of creek beds and near mulga trees. The seeds of this tree can be eaten raw or cooked on the fire. A deliciously sweet drink called yinjirrpi is made from the seeds when they have been dried. The wood can be used to make weapons such as karli (boomerangs) and dancing boards for ceremonies.

Shoulder Tote -AAD902

The different colours represent the land and the various rockholes and sandhills. Andrea tells us the story of the seven sisters and their travels through the country as they are pursued by Wati (Man) Nyiru. Nyiru saw the sisters as they travelled to the west. He fell in love with them, and even though they were of the wrong skin name to marry him, he was desperate to make them his. As the women fled from Wati Nyiru they created the country and landscape around Andrea's home, trying to trick him and escape from him. The sisters created the rock holes, sandhills and rocky outcrops as they tried to escape. Eventually they created a rock hole which went deep under the ground and came up on the other side of the hill. The women dived into the water and came out on the other side to fly up into the sky. Wati Nyiru followed them into the water and when he came out on the other side, he was too late. Now, Wati Nyiru can be seen to the south of the seven sisters, as he still chases them across the sky. This painting was produced by Andrea Adamson at our studio in Alice Springs in 2018 for Yubu Napa. Yubu Napa certifies that this is an original work of aboriginal art painted by Andrea Adamson in Alice Springs.

Handy-sized passport and card holder. On the outside is a zip pocket for those quick-to-hand things you need in an instant. Open the clasp and on one side there are five card slots and a clear window and on the other side there’s a double pocket to fit your passport.

H 15.7cm x W 11cm x D 1cm

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Catherine Manuell Design is an accredited member of the Indigenous Art Code.