It is with great excitement and a deep sense of honour, that we introduce the Robert Gordon collaboration with Yindjibarndi collective, the Juluwarlu Art Group, and most significantly the work of Yindjibarndi artist Nanna Jane Cheedy.

Based in the north-western part of the Pilbara (W.A), the Juluwarlu Art Group is an association of Yindjibarndi artists who celebrate their culture, history and Country through a broad range of art practices and mediums. The art group is part of the Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation (JGAC). This formidable organisation is Aboriginal owned and governed, and is dedicated to maintaining, preserving, recording and promoting 50,000 years of history.

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When Aboriginal people go hunting for an echidna, it usually curls up into a ball. The hunter says to the echidna, ‘I want to look at your scars!’ The echidna will listen if you ask him ‘Can I have a look at your scars? Where are your scars?’ It will then open itself up, then you can hit it with a stone on the scar on its chest until it’s dead.

Once this is done, the hunter can go into the shade, light a fire in a pit and throw the echidna in the fire.There are special rules about the echidna -whoever cooks it can’t drink water until he’s finished cooking, or the echidna fat will turn to water. The tongue has to be pulled out and cut off. The two thyroid glands are cut off and thrown away and the belly cut out and thrown away. It is turned over in the fire. The hunter also has to sing a special song to make sure the spikes are removed. The echidna will then be smooth and fully skinned. It is cooked under hot ashes in the ground.

Young girls aren’t allowed to eat the echidna, or when they get pregnant they’ll have a long and hard labour. There’s a song about the echidna in the Burndud.

Story from Juluwarlu’s Gurruragan book by Lorraine Coppin.