GIRRINGUN ART CENTRE | 'Jawan T-shirt' |  Black fabric / white design

The rainforest is the source of materials used in these exquisite lawyer cane baskets.
Girramay, Jirrbal, and Gulnay weavers of Far North Queensland are well known for their laywer cane bicornual baskets called Jawun and other traditional basket styles including Burrajingal (lawyer cane square-based baskets), gundala (lawyer cane coil baskets) and mindi (grass baskets).

These lawyer cane and grass baskets are still being made using traditional methods. They were an important part of everyday lives and were used to collect and carry bush food, babies, message sticks and many other objects.

Bugul is the local name for lawyer cane which is also known as a wait-a-while. It climbs through the rainforest under-story in lengths of up to 100 metres and is covered in prickles and spikes which make it difficult to collect. Before it can be woven, the lawyer cane must be heat treated, split and shaved, a very labour intensive process.

Established in 2008, the Girringun Art Centre is home to multi-award winning artists and craftsmen.

Located in Cardwell, Queensland, Girringun represents artists from nine Traditional Owner Groups: the Nywaigi, Gugu Badhan, Warrgamay, Warungnu, Bandjin, Girramay, Gulngay, Jirrbal and Djiru people.

The traditional country of these groups covers some 25,000 square kilometres of country in the state’s far-North. Objects from this country are significantly different from those of much of the rest of Australia. Weaving is done by both men and women, and the diversity of resources between land and sea have resulted in a vast array of implements being crafted for use.

A living functioning art centre, it is not unusual to see artists in the workshop developing new work and honing their craft. The stories and environments of this ancient culture are being transformed daily into visual images and designs by weavers, painters, potters, textile artists, and makers of traditional objects.

These artists bring to life the unique cultural story and expression of the distinctive Aboriginal rainforest art traditions and culture of the Girringun region, to share with the world.

GIRRINGUN ART CENTRE | 'Jawan T-shirt' |  Black fabric / white design | Screenprint on cotton