Art und rock-art of the Kimberley, Northwest Australia: Narratives, interpretations and imaginations

Abstract

This chapter introduces some issues related to the different interpretations and narratives that have been put forward in relation to the Indigenous rock-art of the Kimberley, Northwest Australia. At the centre of inquiry is an examination of the construction of European narratives around these images in their respective historical context. The earliest interpretations were put forward by British explorers and were constructed within the racist and evolutionistic frameworks of the 19th century. These narratives were intimately bound to the contemporary colonialist experience. However, it is also shown that certain elements of these interpretations have lasting effects that resonate until today. Interpretations about the art and the rock-art of the Kimberley find their place today in disputes over the control over land and resources between Aboriginal and other interest groups in post-colonial Australia.