Ngalkordow (Brolga)
$185
Brolgas, known in Kunwinjku as Ngalkordow, have elaborate courtship displays with elegant dances (borrke) which are replicated in certain ceremonies performed by the Kunwinjku (the Aboriginal people of Western Arnhem Land).
The birds build nests of grass and twigs in a raised mound. Kudjewk, the monsoon season (January to March), is the time of year when ngalkordow and numerous other birds such as the brown duck and magpie goose nest. They live in and around billabongs and floodplains feeding on insects, fish and water plants. Heart shaped leaves called anyuknarn are a favourite food of the brolga who only eat the flesh between the leaves. The roots of the plant, if soaked in water for several days are a food source for the people of this area. These water plants and the brolga are often depicted in the classic Kunwinjku ‘x-ray’ style with the brolga’s internal organs, and the roots and tubers of the plants, showing. Brolgas are often seen in paintings and the rock art galleries from the Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) area of Western Arnhem Land because the birds and their eggs are game prized by the local Aboriginal people.