Dhurrawarr Marika 'Rulyapa' screenprint

This screen print, Rulyapa (2023), Paper: 76x56cm, Image: 63x51cm, was created by Dhurrawarr Marika at the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala. The work depicts Rulyapa —the rough, powerful saltwater sea country that lies between Yirrkala and Bremer Island (Dhambaliya), a place of deep ancestral and spiritual significance to the Rirratjingu clan.

Rulyapa is closely associated with the Djunkgawl sisters’ creation narratives and the sacred saltwater flows that define Yolngu coastal law, identity, and responsibility. In this print, Marika draws upon miny’tji (sacred clan designs) of the Rirratjingu clan to evoke the movement, force, and depth of the sea. Swirling, interlocking forms convey the restless energy of saltwater and its enduring presence as a living ancestral force.

Produced through the Yirrkala Print Space, Rulyapa demonstrates Marika’s mastery of translating traditional visual language into contemporary screen printing. While renowned for her bark paintings and lino carvings, her printmaking practice allows for layered colour and graphic intensity, expanding the expressive potential of Yolngu design while maintaining cultural integrity. The work stands as a powerful example of the continuity of Yolngu knowledge systems through contemporary print media.