Artwork 15 - Bill Neidjie OAM
This law ... this country ... this people. No matter what people ... red, yellow, black or white ... the blood is the same. Lingo little bit different ... but no matter. Country - you in other place ... But same feeling. Blood ... bone ... all the same.
Bill Neidjie OAM, 1986
Bill Neidjie OAM at Reconciliation Place
Mabuyu was a member of the Bunitj Clan of which the late Bill Neidjie was a respected elder.
According to the Dreamtime story related by Jonathan Nadji there was a warrior called Mabuyu who lived in a cave away from his clan group. The other mob camped at Indjuwandjuwa near Ubirr (Obiri Rock), where the ancient rock painting depicting Mabuyu is in the present-day Kakadu National Park. One day, the clan went fishing but they did not get any. Mabuyu also went fishing. He fished away from the others and caught many fish. He was dragging his catch on a string when a greedy person cut the string and stole his fish. This upset him very much.
That night, Mabuyu waited until the thieves had eaten his fish and were camped inside their cave. He sealed them in their cave with a huge rock. Another mob sent a message to his grandmother's country to tell them what had happened. They made a plan to befriend Mabuyu and invited him to their camp. When he was asleep they sealed him in a cave at a special site around the Mount Borradale area in Western Arnhem Land. Legend has it that Mabuyu is still there.
The image of Bill Neidjie's hand print was designed by his son, Jonathan Nadji. The spirit warrior figure (Mabuyu) is reproduced from an ancient rock painting located at Ubirr (Obiri Rock), Northern Territory.
Source
Neidjie, Big Bill, Davis, Stephen and Fox, Allan Australia's Kakadu Man - Bill Neidjie, Darwin NT, Resource Managers Pty Ltd; 1986.