Jack Dale

According to Aboriginal people in the Kimberley, the Wandjina is the creator of all living things. Wandjina created the sacred waterholes, the Wungud places, where babies are dreamt. The women sometimes see an image of their unborn child reflected in the water. Usually the image is in animal form, and the child will take on the totemic name of the animal, such as Bungul, the flying fox.
There are many kinds of Wandjina. Young Jack Dale Mengenen learnt about them when he footwalked the country with his grandfather. Once initiated, he was shown the images of the Wandjina in the sacred places, he was taught he must only paint the Wandjinas of his own country, not those belonging to others.
Jack paints the large Wandjinas found at the Dreaming places, such as Iondra, near Bell Gorge.

Wandjinas at Iondra

Wandjinas are the most powerful spirit ancestors in the Northern Kimberley.
They are the life-force; all children are born from Wungud which was created by Wandjina.

These Wandjinas are painted in rock shelters at Iondra in the Komaduwah Clan estate. They are our evidence in this land and for my land title. They are proof of ownership to my land. I footwalked this country plenty of times. This is a proper dreaming place.
“Guidia” white man got bible stories we have our Wandjina.
Jack Dale