Various animals and plants have cultural significance to the Kunwinjku people who live in Western Arnhem Land in the
‘Top End’ of Australia. The Burarr, or Water Goanna, inhabits the wetland areas of Western Arnhem Land that
include billabongs, rivers and floodplains.
The Burarr has a streamlined body and paddle-shaped tail, which differentiates it from land goannas. They are frequently
hunted for their tasty white flesh, and their eggs are also
sought after as an excellent food source-these are found in their dens which can be a hollow log or a dug out burrow.
The burarr has been depicted in the classic Kunwinjku ‘x-ray’style with internal organs showing.
The cross-hatching technique used for the in- fill is called rarrk