Description:

Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi
(1942 - 2020)
Dhuwa Morning Star Pole (Salt Water), 2014
eucalyptus trunk, feathers, kurrajong bark string, ochre
During his lifetime, Gali was the pre-eminent custodian of the Morning Star ceremonial tradition, one of the most important ceremonial practices of the Yolngu world. This finely worked Morning Star Pole, distinguished by its restrained palette of natural ochres, carefully bound feather tufts, and kurrajong bark string, embodies the Dhuwa moiety's saltwater identity.

The Morning Star Ceremony, associated with Venus, is central to Yolngu cosmology, linking themes of life, death, and ancestral continuity. Gurruwiwi's authority as the hereditary keeper of this knowledge brought him international recognition, with his Morning Star Poles collected by major institutional collections worldwide, including the National Gallery of Australia and the British Museum.

This pole, created in 2014, exemplifies his ability to balance ceremonial integrity with aesthetic refinement, carrying forward an ancestral legacy with contemporary resonance.

  • Provenance: Framed Darwin, Anne Phelan (Director)
  • Dimensions: 230 x 5 cm
  • Medium: eucalyptus trunk, feathers, kurrajong bark string, ochre
  • Condition: Buyers Please Note


    This auction is conducted in conjunction with Newstead Art Auctions.
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    Viewing:

    Onsite viewings will take place in Albany, New York, USA, between 23 and 30 October 2025.
    For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact Adrian Newstead at [email protected].


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All Lots Are Located In Albany, New York, USA, we have a representative onsite and a recommended carrier available until 8 November, 2025. All Lots MUST collected by that date.

Purchases must be paid for within two days of auction and shipping/collection arrangements need to be finalised no later than 8 November 2025. In order to facilitate this timeframe we recommend using our 3D Secure online payment system.

October 31, 2025 9:00 AM AEDT
Stanmore, Australia

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
A$0 A$999 A$50
A$1,000 A$1,999 A$100
A$2,000 A$4,999 A$200
A$5,000 A$9,999 A$500
A$10,000 A$19,999 A$1,000
A$20,000 A$49,999 A$2,000
A$50,000 A$99,999 A$5,000
A$100,000 A$199,999 A$10,000
A$200,000 A$499,999 A$20,000
A$500,000 A$999,999 A$50,000
A$1,000,000 + A$100,000