Australian Aboriginal women weave tales through textiles in India

The textile designs of 17 Aboriginal artists from the Bábbarra Women’s Centre in Maningrida, in Australia’s Northern Territory, are being showcased in Kolkata, India’s artistic capital.

Deborah Wurrkidj and Janet Marawarr travel to India as part of the ongoing 'Jarracharra' exhibition in Kolkata. Credit: Babbarra Designs

Large banners of delicately hand-printed fabrics are suspended from the high ceilings of the Indian Museum in Kolkata, West Bengal.

These textiles, the likes of which have never been shown in India, tell the sacred stories of the peoples of Maningrida region in Western Arnhem Land in Australia’s north.

Australian Indigenous women artists’ textile designs showcased at Indian Museum in Kolkata. Credit: Babbarra Designs

The exhibition named ‘Jarracharra,’ which means dry season wind in the Burarra language, showcases 33 textile designs by 17 women artists of the region.

The artists have employed contemporary mediums like printmaking to represent ancient narratives, while deft strokes and bold colours reflect age-old cultural practices.

The designs are part of a concerted effort to preserve the region's traditions and languages and promote them to the world.

The exhibition has been organised by the Australian Consul General in Kolkata, in collaboration with the Indian Museum and will run until 22 January 2023.

I am delighted to present this magnificent exhibition of Australian Aboriginal textile art to the Indian public.

Rowan Ainsworth, Australian Consul-General, Kolkata

The shortlisted designs have been developed over many years with generations of women during community workshops in Maningrida, home to 80 clan groups, many of whom still live on their ancestral homelands.

The region is one of the most linguistically diverse communities in the world, with a population of just 2,500 who speak around 12 languages.

Sharing knowledge and exploring Indian textiles

Deborah Wurrkidj and Janet Marawarr travel to India to exchange knowledge and explore heritage textiles in West Bengal. Credit: Babbarra Designs

As part of the showcase, participating artists Janet Marawarr and Deborah Wurrkidj have travelled to the South Asian nation to share their knowledge with other artisans and explore the rich textile heritage of West Bengal.

“So excited to go to India to learn different culture. I'm so happy to see the place and see the women how they dying and printing so to see learn and share with them in our way culture. To teach how they dying their paint,” said Ms Marawarr ahead of her trip to India.

The exhibition will also tour other Indian cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru, as part of its eighth international outing since its launch in Paris in 2019.

The development of these designs has brought global attention to the remote Bábbarra Women’s Centre, which was established as a women’s refuge in the early 1980s.

Today the centre supports nearly 30 women artists and has produced over 100 screen designs reflecting the diverse cultures of Arnhem Land.

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