Jemma Unghango / Gwion Gwion Rock Art (20C)

Jemma Unghango was born in Kalumburu in 1961 and has lived there all her life. Her mother and father both worked on nearby stations and moved to Kalumburu when they started a family.

A quietly spoken and shy lady, Jemma has 5 children and has been painting since the mid 1990’s, selling her artworks through the Kalumburu Museum. She has also been heavily involved with painting beautiful artworks for the Kalumburu Catholic Church.

Jemma paints the beautiful Gwion Gwion Rock Art which is abundant in her region.

Gwion Gwions – Believed by the Woonumbul, Worora and Nygarijiw tribes to be the first people created by the Boss Wandjina. He gave them Law and Order to abide by. These rock art figures were discovered in the 1800’s by a pastoralist who was exploring the Kimberley. His name was Joseph Bradshaw, that’s why they are sometimes called Bradshaw figures. They are the hunting Gods, they tell us where the good places to hunt are and the places we should stay away from as well.