Description

The Mewana is a traditional basket or scoop primarily made from mewana grass, but occasionally other materials such as Gunga (Pandanis Spiralis). Traditionally, Yolŋu made Mewana to carry bush foods such as baltji (bush yam) and warraga ngatha (cycad nuts). Mewana was also used to scoop dhulumburrk (water lily) and other water reeds from the billabongs.

Yolŋu now prefer to use modern tools and baskets for bush food collection, however, weavers continue to make Mewana for cultural conservation purposes and to be sold as decorative pieces.

The primary material used in this piece is the young, green leaves of the Pandanus spiralis tree, that were harvested using a long wooden hook. The leaves are stripped of their prickles, with the smaller fibres being dried to produce a strong, resilient material. These fibres are then twisted, coiled, or combined using various techniques to create the Mewana.

Bula’bula weavers exclusively use natural dyes, derived from locally sourced roots, leaves and grasses. These pigments are extracted and infused into pandanus fibres by boiling over an open fire, producing the rich, vibrant colours characteristic of contemporary Yolŋu weavings.