Korrianne

A bronze sculpture of a young Wadandi girl playing with her hair. She has a melancholy gaze as she thinks about someone she cannot marry. 

Artist: Sandra Hill Cultural Consultant, with Cerys Allerton Sculptor

Year: 2021

Location: Slippery Rocks, Lot 301 Yallingup Beach Road, Yallingup

Material: Bronze

Acquisition: Percent for Art Cash in lieu funds from the Aravina Estate and the Surfside Development, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, City of Busselton, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions & the Dunsborough & Districts Progress Association

Value: $60,000

Art Trail: Public Art Trail

Learn about the story of Korrianne from Wadandi Cultural Custodian Zac Webb

Wadandi Songline

Yallingup Lagoon

At special  times during the year, when  tides were at their lowest point, Wadandi family groups would come to Yallingup lagoon to gather seafood. The whole family would be involved in catching the little orange rock crabs which were crushed to make “burley”.  The men would go out to the reef edge, throw out the burley and using their gidgis, spear the larger fish which came up near the surface. While they were fishing, the women would collect abalone, periwinkles and other molluscs while the children hunted for gilgies in the Jangraa Brook.

In the later afternoon, before the family feast, some of the younger women would go over to the Slippery Rocks area where there are many pockets of shells in the rocks. The girls braided some of these shells and small flowers into their hair for decoration.

This story gave rise to the idea of a statue of a young woman, “Korrianne”, sitting on the rocks in that area, in the act of braiding shells into her hair, while looking out to Kurranup, the Spirit Place, on the horizon.

Korrianne Gnwirri 

Korrianne was promised through Wadandi Lore to Datton, but she was in love with a strong young hunter, Medinite. She knew that soon she would have to leave, even though her korda, her heart, belonged to Medinite. Korrianne would walk to the beach, collecting wildflowers and coloured shells. She would sit and weave some of them into her hair. Medinite would hide close by, whispering:

Korrianne, Korrianne noondung gnwirri, noondung meila djindaang, noondung morba yilgaati,

noondung marra kunyup, noondung djenna moodain. Gnwirri Korrianne-yal-gnwirri meenyte …

(Korrianne, Korrianne you are beautiful. Your eyes shine like stars, your skin is smooth, your hands are soft, your feet are strong. Beautiful Korrianne with the beautiful face) ….

 

Soon Datton sent for Korrianne. She walked along the river, crying out loud.

Medinite wayamut, wayamut korda minditj, Medinite nadjo wainadgi

(Medinite I'm sad, so sad, my heart is sick. Medinite, I will die).

Korrianne soon left and Medinite stopped eating. Sadly, he soon died. Korrianne, the beautiful, also gave up and let the Great Spirit – Wolghine – come and take her to Kurranup, where she still waits to be reunited with Medinite.

Here Korrianne sits looking out towards Kurranup – meeting place of the spirits of people who have passed – the horizon. She sits weaving shells into her hair.….waiitng….kanya wiring kordadjanga kayogul ...waiting...for their hearts and souls to be united forever.

 

This oral history of “Korrianne” is from the Dworden Wongie of the Wadandi Yunungjarli people, and isn’t necessarily specific to this site. It is a tribute to the Wadandi songline of this area.

Pibulmun/Wadandi Cultural Custodian:      Wayne Wonitji Webb

Wadandi Elder and Art Consultant:               Sandra Hill

Sculptor:                                                             Cerys Allerton