Top Didj

Manuel was born on 5th July 1963, well that is what his driver's license states as they needed a date. Because Manuel has no official record of his date of birth his passport reads 00/00/1966. Manuel does know the area he was born being King River southeast of Katherine. This is where he spent most of his early childhood living a traditional lifestyle.

When Manuel turned 13 he and his family moved to Eva Valley for a year, then they relocated to Bamyili (Barunga), where they settled and Manuel attended school for just only one day. The reason being he was told by his cousin that if he wanted to stay at school he had to speak English. Manuel felt shame as he could not speak any English so he went bush and never attended school again.

When he was 15, his father taught him the traditional way to do bark painting, teaching him how to harvest and burn the stringy bark, how to straighten it with cross sticks and how to make it ready for painting. He also taught him how to find and use traditional pigments from the bush; white clay (bim); red oxide (marnarr); yellow ochre (gilidih), and black charcoal (jardij). Manuel’s father also used to tell the dreamtime stories about what happened a long time ago when all the animals were human.

Manuel brings his extensive traditional knowledge of culture, art and music into this virtual experience. He will:

• Play the didgeridoo.
• Sing while tapping clapsticks.
• Tell you what it was like growing up in the bush the traditional way.
• Show you the step by step stages how to complete a Top End Aboriginal painting.
• Explain the importance of fire to his people and how to light a fire using two sticks.
• Demonstrate how to throw a spear using a woomera.