{"id":"MUS2026-164","label":"Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr burala","people_or_site":"Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr","country_current":"Australia","historic_region":"Eastern Arnhem Land / Howard Island","macroregion":"Australia","local_name":"burala","source_term":"Burala / ceremonial object","source_language":"English / Gupapuyngu name","object_description":"Painted paddle-shaped wooden slat, 425 x 70 x 30 mm, with vegetable-fibre string through a terminal hole at the narrow end.","function_summary":"Twirled above the head; its sound is compared with a diver duck also called burala. The painted design represents a catfish skeleton.","attestation_type":"museum_specimen","source_key":"mv_x_81286_gupapuyngu_burala","source_type":"museum_collection","source_url":"https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/226782","page_or_plate":"Museums Victoria X 81286; API item 226782","map_confidence":"high","plot_status":"plot_with_caveat","coordinate_basis":"OpenStreetMap Langarra hamlet anchor on Howard Island; the museum gives Howard Island but no exact collection spot.","jade_complex_role":"","blurb":"On Howard Island in Eastern Arnhem Land, the Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr called this painted wooden roarer burala. A vegetable-fibre cord passes through the narrow end of the 42.5-centimetre paddle; twirled above the head, it sounded like the diver duck that shared its name as it dove and swooped over the water. The painted lines represent a catfish skeleton. Museums Victoria attributes the circa-1950 object to Djawa Dhawarringu, an identification made by his son Joe Neparrnga Gumbula and other Milingimbi men.","pull_quote":"The burala is attached to a string that is twirled above the head.","pull_quote_translation":"","pull_quote_cite":"Museums Victoria X 81286","term_gloss":"burala: the name of the roarer and of the diver duck whose plunge it sounds like.","cls":"sacred","class_label":"Sacred / spirit","color":"#8A5A2B","is_candidate":false,"flags":[],"f_jade_complex":false,"f_women_taboo":false,"f_women_special":false,"f_snake":false,"sources":[{"citation":"Museums Victoria, X 81286 (attributed to Djawa Dhawarringu; collected by Rev. Edgar A. Wells, Milingimbi, 1949-1959)","url":"https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/226782","archive":"https://web.archive.org/web/20251119015326/https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/226782"}],"source_citations":"Museums Victoria, X 81286 (attributed to Djawa Dhawarringu; collected by Rev. Edgar A. Wells, Milingimbi, 1949-1959)","source_display":"Museums Victoria, X 81286 (attributed to Djawa Dhawarringu; collected by Rev. Edgar A. Wells, Milingimbi, 1949-1959)","date_citation_display":"","object_display":"Painted paddle-shaped wooden slat, 425 x 70 x 30 mm, with vegetable-fibre string through a terminal hole at the narrow end.","function_display":"Twirled above the head; its sound is compared with a diver duck also called burala. The painted design represents a catfish skeleton.","confidence_display":"high","attestation_label":"museum specimen","etymology_hedge":"","people_key":"gupapuyngu daygurrgurr","display_name":"Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr burala","image":{"full":"assets/objects/MUS2026-164_mus2026-164-mv-x81286-burala.jpg","thumb":"assets/objects/MUS2026-164_mus2026-164-mv-x81286-burala_thumb.jpg","alt":"Painted Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr burala from Howard Island: a long ochre blade with a pointed end, white diagonal bands and dotted borders, with cord attached at the pierced end.","credit":"© Museums Victoria, X 81286; attributed to Djawa Dhawarringu, c.1950","license":"All Rights Reserved (© Museums Victoria); authorization required; reuse may require cultural clearances. Rehosted for non-commercial research review.","source_page":"https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/226782","rehosted":true,"representative":false,"caption":"Painted Gupapuyngu Daygurrgurr burala, Howard Island."},"slug":"mus2026-164-gupapuyngu-daygurrgurr"}