Petrina Bedford

‘Armalarr’ is a Wandjina that belongs to Ngarinyin country at Bell Gorge near Imintji community. This is one of many wandjina sites that Edna’s father Jake Dale Mengenen (dec) shared with her. Imintji, meaning ‘a place to sit down,’ became a community in 1950’s as part of the Wilinggin land claim. Jake Dale’s deep knowledge of his ancestor’s country around Imintji greatly aided the Ngarinyin people in their fight for recognition as the tradiioonal owners of their country. Today Edna continues to paint the Wandjina’s that her father shared with her. Edna’s painting is one way that she keeps her fathers knowledge of country and culture alive.
The Wandjina spirits are highly respected by the Worrora, Ngarinyin and Wunumbul people who live at Mowanjum and along the Gibb River Road to Kalumburru in the North West Kimberley region of Western Australia. Wandjina represents the laws of everything the surrounds us trees, rivers, rocks, bush fruit and animals, all creation. The Wandjinas give the law on how we have to treat and use these creations. These customs are carried on today.