Tammy Gilson

Tammy Gilson, a proud Wadawurrung woman, is a traditional weaver who uses her cultural knowledge to create functional and beautiful pieces from natural materials. In Wadawurrung language, the eel traps are called Buniya beenyak (Buniya means eel, and beenyak means basket).⁠
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These traps, made from materials like lomandra, flax, and cumbungi, have a clever design with a large opening that narrows to a smaller exit. They are placed in waterways, and secured by stones and/or sticks to catch larger eels. Smaller eels exit the narrow hole at the trap’s end providing a sustainable way of fishing that has been carried out for tens of thousands of years. ⁠

Tammy Gilson
Buniya beenyak I—eel basket 2023
flax and lomandra
Buniya beenyak II—eel basket 2023
flax
Buniya beenyak III—eel basket 2024
New Zealand flax and native flax
lomandra, cumbungi
Geelong Gallery
Purchased with funds generously
provided by Geelong Contemporary, 2024,
Photographer: Lochie Fuller