According to the Yolngu people, string and string figures were first made by their ancestral creators, the Wagilag Sisters.

The string, made from Kurrojong bark fibre, can be manipulated into hundreds of figures, depicting human and animal activity, the landscape, plants and elements of ritual.

After his investigation of string figures at Yirrkala, Expedition member Frederick McCarthy reported that it was home to the greatest number of identified figures in the world at that time (over 400).
(See Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, Vol II).

As well as a past-time, string figures, and the string itself is said to have a number of 'social-magical' associations, and users must be very careful what, where and with whom figures are made.

Whilst in daily life, the making of string figures is more of a woman's past time, there are figures made by men also. The boys in this photograph are receiving instruction from Wandjuk Marika.

Wandjuk (1927-1987) was the eldest son of artist and leader, Mawalan Marika (1908-1967) and assumed the role of leader of the Rirratjjingu people after Mawalan's death.

Taught to paint by his father, he became a successful international artist, and later a founding member of the Aboriginal Arts Board and an OBE recipient.

As well as being exhibited in art galleries worldwide, the Marika family was instrumental in the artwork and text of the Yirrkala bark petitions presented to the Commonwealth Government in 1963.