Galawon (Goanna) by Gloreen Campion

This large woven sculpture is free-standing and a unique piece by Gloreen Campion. The Galawon (Goanna) relates to a story of Gungara (The Spiralling Wind).

Fiber art, crafted in the Kakadu/West Arnhem Region, is made from locally sourced materials, primarily kunngobarn (pandanus). Weavers use a hooked stick called a manmarli to gather fresh pandanus, which is then split, dried, and dyed using natural pigments collected during specific seasons in the region.

The dye colours, such as Manbedde (Grey/Black), Windilk (Purple/Pink), Kunggobarn (Green), Wirdilwirdil (Brown), and Mandjurndum (Yellow/Orange), are sourced from plants like Petalostigma pubescens, Haemodorum coccineum, Pandanus, Haemadorum brevicauli grass, and Coelospermum reticulatus. Weaving, a meticulous process usually considered “Women’s business,” involves storytelling, tea-drinking, and the transfer of the ancient tradition to younger generations.