Bill Harney

30 AM 4951/07
Bill Harney Warritja (Crocodile) Dreaming 2007
Natural ochre & pigment & acrylic on Galacia linen 895 x 1235mm SOLD
Narguna came down from cave to the water. Narguna is from Marabeena family. She came from the cave and
went to the water. Warritja saw her. When she was down at the water Warritja sang her with wooditju - the
attraction song. Then Narguna went back to the cave. Later Narguna wen back again to get the water. The
song made her go back. When she went in to get the water, Warritja jumped up and grabbed her and took her in
the big cave inside. He took her very fast and made sure she didn't drown. When he had her in the cave he
married her. And she had some some children from Warritja and he said "I'll go down and get some food for
us". He went to the lily pond and picked up some kardi - lily plants. When he was there gathering the food
Narguna was digging at the roof to get away. She made a big hole in the roof and went through the hole and
was heading back to Marabeena and her family. On the way back walking, she kept stopping and dropping
eggs of the crocodile children. And Marabeena was there with Dilawud and she dropped another egg. And
Marbeena said "What! You've been to married to Warritja!". And Dilawud said "Well, he'll come back and
follow you. We'd better get spears ready to spear him". And Warritja came back and Narguna was gone and he
was disappointed and he was looking around and found a hole in the roof of the cave. And then he finally went
though the cave and followed Narguna's tracks. As he was following he found all these crocodile children as
he went along. He picked up many of the crocodile eggs and he left them halfway. And Dilawud said to
Narguna "Get up in the high place and start shouting real loud so Warritja can hear you up here". Then
Narguna was shouting real loud and Warritja could hear her. He was running real fast and when he got closer
Dilawud was getting ready with the spear and all the others. When they came closer Dilawud threw the spear
and hit Warritja. Never killed him straight away and Warritja ran back to his cave in the water picking up his
children, carrying them all, and took them back to the cave. Then he was sitting down there worrying because
his wife had gone. Then Bingun the bream fish came across and said "You can't marry anyone from inland -
you're breaking the law. You can only marry people from the water. And Warritja said "I've got to sing this
King Brown (snake) to go after them and kill them all. The Bingun said "You can't do that You have to marry
from the water - not from dry land". And Warritja sang King Brown to go and kill the others - Dilawud mob.
King Brown took off after them but little Bingun went across in front of them and saw the King Brown come.
Bingun said "You can't kill them - you're from dry land. He's from the water so he has to marry people from the
water". And King Brown said "I''ll take your word. I won't do anything". Bingun went back and told Warritja.
"He's not going to kill them because they're his mob". Warritja got very cranky and had a big fight. After they
had their fight they said "All right. We are going to get along together in the water". That's the Warritja