Petrina Bedford

Djalala & Wandjinas (wandjinas with boundary stones on their body)

These Wandjinas are from Bell Gorge, 20km from Imintji Community on the Gibb River Road, where Edna lives with her family on her ancestral land). Edna combines the image of the Bell Gorge Wandjina with that of Djalala (the dotted circles inside the body of the Wandjina).
The Wandjina made all the country, its laws, animals and people. The Djalala are part of the law. They mark the territory of different clans as well as sacred sites and are also used to direct people to fresh water or the shelter of a cave. Edna explains, “today we still have to visit the sacred sites that are marked by these stones. These places get sad without us. We have to remember who belongs to which country and the sacred places in that country. We have to remember all the places and their stories. We have to visit those places and tell those stories. If we stop, our country gets lonely and sad for us.”