The success of Wunala Dreaming was so important in Japan & Australia that Qantas commissionned Balarinji Studios to design a second plane. A -300 series was chosen as these were the aircraft mostly serving Japan, with the -400 mostly used on longer flights to Europe and the US.
At first John Moriarty was reluctant to conceive another aboriginal plane, as he wanted to avoid designing a copycat of Wunala Dreaming. However a blue palette of colours quickly proved to complement the Red Centre and Northern Territory palette and motifs of Wunala Dreaming quite well. The turtle design was one of John's earliest drawings and of particular significance to him, as he had spent long hours hunting turtles during his childhood.
"Nalanji" is a
Yanyuwa word meaning "our place". Nalanji Dreaming is a celebration of the balance and harmony of nature in "our place", meaning Australia, this time with the lush colour palette of tropical Australia. Yellow sun rays find their way between flowers and vines of the rainforest, symbolising tracks between ceremonial places of spirit ancestors when they created the Australian landscape in the
Dreamtime.
Emerald greens are the colours of the forest, while vivid light blues depict the tropical reef waters. Note both sides are different.
Nalanji Dreaming was launched in time for the Qantas 75th anniversary celebrations in late 1995. The aircraft was nicknamed 'Big Blue' in Australia in contrast with 'Big Red'.
Images © Bruno Geiger (FRA) & Jacques Guillem (NRT) Collections
Artwork © National Museum Australia
Tags
Original Artwork,
Traditional Patterns
