The meaning of mandala comes from the Sanskrit word for both “CIRCLE” and “CENTRE” Even though it may be dominated by other geometric shapes like squares or triangles, a mandala will always remain a concentric (CIRCLE) structure. Mandalas offer balancing visual elements, symbolizing unity and harmony. The meanings of individual mandalas is usually different and unique to each mandala. For some, the goal of the mandala is to serve as a tool on one’s spiritual journey as it symbolizes cosmic and psychic order. For others, the mandala is used as a counter-balancing mechanism of one’s own psyche, (The spirit or soul) and a way for us to focus or meditate our way into becoming a whole person.
Portrait of an Australian aborigine
Elevina – Kiowa Apache WINNER: Portrait Of A Woman Challenge / on The Woman Photographer WINNER: I Am Woman Challenge / on Mood And Ambience / (2009.JUN.18) Top Ten in / That One Great Portrait Challenge / on That One Great Shot / (2009.MAY.09) “Special Feature“ / The Wild West Show / (2009.APR.26) Featured on: / Spirit of the Native American / (2009.FEB.18) THE SISTERHOOD / (2009.FEB.16) RedBubble Album: People Of The West
Aboriginal (spiritually-centred) culture is dying, slowly but surely withering within most who claim such heritage — contaminated, corrupted, polluted — disappearing before my living eyes. My heart, my spirit ‘sings’ when ever I have the opportunity to get a glimpse of its remnants, its power, its potency within those few who still struggle to embody the essence of this most ancient ways of relating and living amongst these modern daze. The younger ones mostly want to be wrappers, get down, and boogie, in acculturated and soul-numbing manner. It is the ways of these times, no fault nor blame, it just is for most. For years I have pined the loss of the spiritual-centre of the Aborigines and their cultural Laws and principles. A loss not only to those of the Aboriginal nations of this country, but also a loss to all of us, of meaning and perspective regarding our inter-connectedness to all that is. I am privileged to know this young man. I know his mother, and I knew his Grandfather. I know his story, his struggles and challenges. And I have witnessed his smile, when he dances in the way of the ancients — I see “them” light-up his being, whenever “they” are sung-up, to dance within him. My heart sings for that time, that moment, that glimpse. / And then all returns to normal… I trust he can continue to weather the “storms” that gather around him too often in the people of his kind. I can only hope he grows stronger from each battle he overcomes, calling on the essence of his Spirit from within his body, beneath his skin. I have done this image as a gift to that young man, and to his ill and ailing mother. I wish to share this further, to others whom may hear the humming of the Storm Dreamer — I feel its time to dance, to “dream”, to clear the toxins and the toxic once again, anew… This image has been Featured in the following RB Group: 1 In The Beginning – Ancient Practices; Gods and Goddesses, and Enchanting Powerful Photo Manipulation.
The Native American bald eagle is sacred and the Messengers of The Creator for many First People Nations. This painting is dedicated to all First People nations and tribes. Oil on 16×20 stretched canvas.
/ Binda an aboriginal name meaning ‘deep water’ / I originally drew Binda in pencil and coloured her later in Photoshop / this is a recent drawing I completed a couple of weeks ago / /
This is a girl playing the ukulele on the sideline of a football match. It was the clown’s ukulele, who performs and entertains the children at the sports carnival. He leaves various items including unicycles and skateboards for the children to play with. This little girl caught my attention. Most children are running around and having fun – running, jumping and playing – whereas she just sat alone for a few short minutes, by herself. Behind her a game of football was being played in the background. Hard to believe.
Copacabana , Bolivia ! This picture was taken minutes after I took several shots of two old men sitting on the same step while I was resting a bit. Sometime interesting things comes around… /
This picture of a lovely laughing child was taken some years ago now while I was driving out from Meekathara in the WA central desert on my way towards the Gun Barrel Highway. At a tiny camp called Wiluna I stopped to look for some art and come across this family sitting in their car in the shade. This child’s sweet face has stayed with me all this time but today, this momentus day, is the first time I’ve felt like I could display it. Little Debbie and her family are impoverished by anyones standard but they clearly have love and strong family bonds. This child represents what we that is we white Australians are saying sorry for. Sorry that we couldn’t see value in our fellow Australians. The first settlers here in this wide brown land. Sorry that we took little children away from their family and their country and people. Only a relatively short time ago this child and her mother would have fled at my approach fearing my whiteness and the dreadful things we whites perpetrated upon them in the name of the law. So from the bottom of my heart Debbie I would like to say Sorry. Sorry Sorry indeed I am very sorry. And I hope that now we can all go on together in peace and trust and mutal respect. For all the little Debbie’s white and black and brown and pink and yellow lets all step forward together hand in hand and welcome whatever it is that comes next….....
Cusco, Perú !!! / This is one of the first shot I took in Cusco this year !!! / I had just arrived and I was feeling a bit strange and not really in the mood to take pictures of people.. I was maybe thinking about life a bit too much ! / But when she passed by I said something funny to her and pressed the bottom !! / I´m glad i did !
Bardi ‘Saltwater’ people at England’s most famous sacred site Stonehenge: Photo: © Julian Andrews. Irrgil / Marrga is a words used by the Bardi ‘Saltwater’ people meaning boomerang & shield. The Bardi people are from the Dampier Peninsula situated around 200 kilometres north-east of Broome, Western Australia. They are coastal people who have looked to the land, open waters, tidal flats and mangrove creeks for thousands of years for food, law and traditions. Even to this day Bardi people continue to practice their culture and to live this way of life. About Laminated Prints: Laminated prints are affordable, high–quality prints of the great work on RedBubble. Buying laminated prints is an easy way of providing encouragement to the artist, and still having change for that huge mounted print for the living room. Definitely the “impulse buy” of the art world. Each print is available in 5 seasons: Summer Print Winter Print / Spring Print / Autumn Print / Monsoon Print – Black White. /
They gather together each searching and gathering before nesting. A laminated print was broght by a fellow RedBubbler Michelle Saleeba 2008. “Featured in: SOLD! Group Nov 2008” THIS CANVAS PIECE WAS SOLD JAN 2009
Many of the Australian Aboriginal artists are women. I was fortunate to be given permission to take this photo, as with many indigenous cultures there are differing thoughts and beliefs relating to images of themselves and hence “candid” photography can be in some circumstances, very offensive. / Many people believe that the patterns and symbols used in this art are “random” and/or “abstract”, however it is usually well structured with many recognisable symbols used to represent men, women , babies, creatures both in their daily lives and mythical traditions, along with features of their country. / It’s a pity that some “non-indigenous” and either unwitting, or plain unscrupulous people replicate this art in a random manner without the true understanding of the art and its representation. And many make some very big profits from this deception. (Canon 300D – Sigma 18-200mm OS lens) Artist location: Darwin / Background: Kakadu
How Many Sold so far – 5 tees sold / / / A Christmas Wish A star to light your way / A tree to help you breathe / A heart to help you live a poem written by Karin Taylor —-—-—-—-—-—-- / Created with coloured pencils/marker/pastels on paper / I have kept the price down to $3.99 instead of the usual / $4.95 because it’s a Christmas card….. —-—-—-—-—-—-- / today i was talking to Coppertrees / and she challenged me to come up with something / to do with a beautiful poem she’d loaded and a xmas / tree she’d created…. I came up with the idea…that tiny things are just as important as big things…. / a tiny heart gifts as much life as a huge heart / a tiny tree gives us air to breathe / a tiny star provides light to guide us….. It matters not that things are small, or have small beginnings, they are still worthwhile, as worthwhile as the big things, and as it says in the song / from little things big things grow / /
Tupiza, Bolivia !
Sorry seems to be the hardest word….. Such a small word, but today it sits at the centre of an hourglass of eternity…. / In the past – a vast ocean of existence, awash with the dreams, goals and agendas of mankind, full of intent both selfish and pure … / humanity displaying its best and its worst for that time… / ... / leading us to this moment….. / ... / And emerging through this pivotal word into an ever expanding future, where there will still be those of pure intent, and those of selfish intent, but with renewed hope for greater healing and oneness, a testimony that humanity will go on, and we will walk together… / ... / .. / . The words of my prayer would read…. / ... I honour the equality of all people of this Earth. / If anything I have ever said or done, or worse still THOUGHT, has ever hurt, or diminished the equality or rights of another human being, or living thing, including myself, / Then / I / Am / Truly / Sorry. / ... / .. / . / (Any proceeds from sale of this work will be donated to Wardan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Yallingup, Western Australia. / My thanks go to Ray Buchanan and Bill Webb for their presence in my images)
Tree spirits will show themselves to you if you really know how to communicate with the other dimensional realms. The key is LOVE. If you treat trees and plants and also rocks with love and respect they will reveal themselves and teach you great knowledge. Try it! my blog: Kabai33
Hand of a male dancer at a powwow in the Black Hills. The beadwork is amazing!
The extreme angles, and highly contrasty treatment of this image represents my view on how Australia’s Indigenous peoples are still very much a marginalised community, pushed to the far fringes of our society. / I believe our past and present treatment to be nothing short of disgraceful. Statistics pertaining to our indigenous communities, regarding population health, infant mortality and general living standards, would NEVER be tolerated by our otherwise white, western societies. So why do our governments, and we ourselves, still turn the other cheek, & allow some to be treated this way, when we otherwise believe ourselves to be part of a civilized society? Aboriginal didgeridoo player, Adelaide Fringe Fesival. This image is NOT FOR SALE despite being set as such. This is for display purposes only Image copyright © Marion Cullen. All rights reserved. Considered & Constructive critique invited and welcome.
this image depicts the dreaming story of creation in Mungo
Bardi ‘Saltwater’ people at England’s most famous sacred site Stonehenge: Photo: © Julian Andrews. Irrgil / Marrga is a words used by the Bardi ‘Saltwater’ people meaning boomerang & shield. The Bardi people are from the Dampier Peninsula situated around 200 kilometres north-east of Broome, Western Australia. They are coastal people who have looked to the land, open waters, tidal flats and mangrove creeks for thousands of years for food, law and traditions. Even to this day Bardi people continue to practice their culture and to live this way of life. About Framed Prints: Finely-crafted custom frames create stunning art pieces from RedBubble prints. Frames are crafted from quality timbers in a range of finishes. A white, off-white or black matte surrounds the print to emphasize the artist’s work and bring the piece to life. Premium ultra-clear perspex in front provides a superior finish and means the piece is lighter and easier for you to move without breaking. Each print is available in 5 seasons: Summer Print / Winter Print / Spring Print / Autumn Print / Monsoon Print – Black White.
Watercolour on paper. 2007. Portrait of an Indigenous artist, Papunya, ca. 1970 from a photograph by Michael Jenson. source: National Library of Australia / / / / Papunya (23°13′S, 131°54′E), is a small Indigenous Australian community of about 350 people roughly 240 km northwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is now home to a number of displaced Aboriginal people mainly from the Pintubi and Luritja tribes. / / / / Pintupi and Luritja people were forced off their traditional country in the 1930s and moved into Hermannsburg and Haast’s Bluff where there were government ration depots. There were often tragic confrontations between these people, with their nomadic hunter-gathering lifestyle, and the cattlemen who were moving into the country and over-using the limited water supplies of the region for their cattle. / / / / The Australian government built a water bore and some basic housing at Papunya in the 1950s to provide room for the increasing populations of people in the already-established Aboriginal communities and reserves. The community grew to over a thousand people in the early 1970s and was plagued by poor living conditions, health problems,[such as flu, the disease of the white man which the aboriginals’ bodies found hard to fight off] and tensions between various tribal and linguistic groups. These festering problems led many people, especially the Pintupi, to move further west closer to their traditional country. After settling in a series of outstations, with little or no support from the government, the new community of Kintore was established about 250 km west of Papunya in the early 1980s. / / / / It was during the 1970s that a striking and unique blend of ancient and modern art styles began to emerge in Papunya and by the 1980s had begun to attract national and then international attention, now commanding a proud place on world art markets. source: www.wikepedia.org / / / / / / / / New original art listed every Sunday night in my eBay store
Native American boy at a powwow (wacipi). He looked so serious and focused!
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