Delia – Warlu – Mina Mina

Fabric: Feature fabric is printed on cotton canvas. Story below. Complementary fabric is handwoven black cotton.

H: 27cm (12.6 inch)
W: 24cm (9.5 inch)
Base: 6cm (2.4 inch)

Features

• Fully lined
• Zip closure
• Adjustable strap
• Can be worn on the shoulder or cross body
• Two front, external zipper pockets
• Internal zip pocket
• Two internal pockets
• Quality notions
• Limited edition – made in small batches in a disability workshop
• Design story tag provided
• Fabric sourced in Australia

Our Delia bags are made by Women for Women, our partner foundation based in Cambodia. Women for Women prides itself in providing opportunities and skills that empower Cambodian women and girls to be leaders in their community. Each Delia Bag is handmade with love and care by the women of Women for Women, so please note that every bag is unique, and the placement of the fabric design is different on each item.

Title of design: Mina Mina

This ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming) comes from Mina Mina, a very important women’s Dreaming site far to the west of Yuendumu near Lake Mackay and the WA border. The ‘kirda’ (owners) of this Dreaming are Napangardi/Napanangka women and Japangardi/Japanangka men – the area is sacred to Napangardi and Napanangka women. There are a number of ‘mulju’ (water soakages) and a ‘maluri’ (clay pan) at Mina Mina.

In the Dreamtime, ancestral women danced at Mina Mina and ‘karlangu’ (digging sticks) rose up out of the ground. The women collected the digging sticks and then travelled on to the east, dancing, digging for bush tucker, collecting ‘ngalyipi’ (snake vine [Tinospora smilacina]), and creating many places as they went. ‘Ngalyipi’ is a rope-like creeper that grows up the trunks and limbs of trees, including ‘kurrkara’ (desert oak [Allocasuarina decaisneana]). It is used as a ceremonial wrap and as a strap to carry ‘parraja’ (coolamons) and ‘ngami’ (water carriers). ‘Ngalyipi’ is also used to tie around the forehead to cure headaches, and to bind cuts.

The women stopped at Karntakurlangu, Janyinki, Parapurnta, Kimayi, and Munyuparntiparnti, sites spanning from the west to the east of Yuendumu. When they stopped, the women dug for bush foods like ‘jintiparnta’ (desert truffle [Elderia arenivaga]). The Dreaming track eventually took them far beyond Warlpiri country. The track passed through Coniston in Anmatyerre country to the east, and then went on to Alcoota and Aileron far to the northeast of Yuendumu and eventually on into Queensland.