
Outback Devils Marbles

by Chris Armytage
Title
Outback Devils Marbles
Artist
Chris Armytage
Medium
Digital Art - Photographic Art On Digital Canvas
Description
The Devils Marbles are huge granite boulders scattered across a wide, shallow valley, 100 kilometres south of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
The Devils Marbles are located in the traditional country of the Warumungu, Kaytetye, Alyawarra and Warlpiri people. They call the Devils Marbles Karlu Karlu, which literally translates as ‘round boulders'.
The Devils Marbles have great significance for the Aboriginal people. Most of the conservation reserve is protected under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act.
Ancient creation legends surrounding Karlu Karlu are passed from generation to generation by the traditional owners. Many of these stories are secret and only a few can be shared with visitors.
One of the main Dreaming stories for the area which can be told to non-Aboriginal people relates to how the Devils Marbles were made. This tradition tells of 'Arrange', an ancient ancestor, who walked through the area. He made a hair-string belt, a type of traditional adornment, worn only by initiated Aboriginal men. As he was twirling the hair to make strings, he dropped clusters of hair on the ground which turned into the big red boulders. Arrange finally returned to his place of origin, a hill called Ayleparrarntenhe, where the legend says he still lives today.
Abstract landscape Copyright 2018 ChrisArmytage, Photographic Artist, Australia.
Uploaded
November 3rd, 2018
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Comments (13)

Nancy Kane Chapman
Powerful image and wonderful tale from Australia....Love this work, Chris! F/L+++

Chris Armytage
Delighted thanks to Marie Louise Anhalt for featuring "Outback Devils Marbles" in the Aether Art Group!

Chris Armytage
Many thanks Jenny Revitz Soper, for featuring "Outback Devils Marbles" in the No Place Like Home Group on FAA!

Miroslava Jurcik
Congratulations your beautiful work has been featured in Australia In Pictures !!
Chris Armytage replied:
Thank you so much Miroslava, for featuring "Outback Devils Marbles" in Australia in Pictures!

VIVA Anderson
Love,love your beautiful,so painterly response to these amazing boulders.....f.v....VIVA
Chris Armytage replied:
Thanks so much V. Some years ago, I was lucky to climb up on those rocks and see them close up. Not possible now for very good reasons, but I have that memory. The Marbles are amazing!