Chairperson – Djambawa Marawili, Arnhem Land
Artist Biography:
Djambawa Marawili (born 1953) is an artist who has experienced mainstream success (as the winner of the 1996 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art award Best Bark Painting Prize and as an artist represented in most major Australian institutional collections and several important overseas public and private collections) but for whom the production of art is a small part of a much bigger picture.
Djambawa as a senior artist as well as sculpture and bark painting has produced linocut images and produced the first screenprint image for the Buku-Larr\gay Mulka Printspace. His principal roles are as a leader of the Madarrpa clan, a caretaker for the spiritual well-being of his own and other related clan’s and an activist and administrator in the interface between non-Aboriginal people and the Yol\u (Aboriginal) people of North East Arnhem Land. He is first and foremost a leader, and his art is one of the tools he uses to lead. As a participant in the production of the Barunga Statement (1988),which led to Bob Hawke’s promise of a treaty, the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody and the formation of ATSIC , Djambawa drew on the sacred foundation of his people to represent the power of Yolngu and educate ‘outsiders’ in the justice of his people’s struggle for recognition.
Again in 1997 Djambawa, was one of the elders at Timber Creek who burned the Prime Minister’s “10 -point plan”. In the push for Sea Rights he is the focus of a Northern Land Council video made to explain the concepts of Yolngu ownership of undersea lands called “Terry Djambawa Marawili-My Native Title”. As before he uses his painting to show the sacred designs that embody his right to speak as a part of the land (although this time the land is under sea). He was instrumental in the initiation of the Saltwater exhibition. He co-ordinate the eventual Federal Court Sea claim in 2004 which eventuated in the High Court’s determination in the 2008 Blue Mud Bay case that Yolngu did indeed own the land between high and low water mark.
Away from the spotlight of activism, Djambawa must fulfil several other onerous leadership roles. The principal ones are as a ceremonial leader, as an administrator of several mainstream Yolngu organisations, as the leader of a 200-strong remote homeland community and as a family man with three wives, an aged father and many children and grand children.
Somehow art is integral to each of these roles as well. Obviously the sacred designs figure to some (secret) extent in the countless circumcision, burial, memorial and other ceremony that he is required to assist or lead. As a Director and later Chairperson of the Association of Northern and Kimberley Aboriginal Artists Association 1997-2009) and Chairperson of Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre 1994 - 2000 (the art centre servicing north-east Arnhem Land) art is never far away from consideration. In 2004 he was appointed to the Australia Council ATSIA Board. He was granted a two year Fellowship from the Australia Council in 2003. In 2009 he continues to work on the ATSIA Board, to chair ANKAAA and be executive of the Northern Land Council.
As a man living at Baniyala, some three hours from Yirrkala (the nearest shop/mains power/fuel etc.) he is immersed in the country that he paints and carves. Everywhere he looks the landscape reveals to his educated eyes the designs within. His role as the voice of Wakuthi, his ancient, blind father, is to protect this knowledge with the tools his father gave him. The art is one of these.
In 2006 Djambawa mounted a solo exhibition in the Sydney Bienalle. His work is held in many important public and private collections including: Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Scotland, Art Gallery of Western Australia, JW Kluge Collection, Virginia USA, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, President of India Art Collection, National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW, NT Supreme Court, Art Gallery NSW, Holmes a Court Collection, and Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Queensland
Further Qualifications:
- 2009 Cetificate II in Indigenous Leadership, Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre
- Madarrpa clan & ceremony leader
- Founder of Baniyala Art Centre
- 2003 Australia Council Fellowship (2 years)
- 2000-2009 ANKAAA Chairperson
- 2004-2009 Board member Australia Council, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board
- 2001-2009 Board Member Buku Larrngay Mulka Yirrkala,NT
- 2009 Full Councillor, Northern Land Council
- 2009 Board Member, YBE Enterprises
- 2009 Board Member, Laynhapuy Homelands
- 2009 CDEP Supervisor, Yilpira (Laynhapuy Homelands)
- 2001-2009 Board Member, Nambara Homelands School
- 2008 ORIC Governance Training
- 2008 Australia Council "Financial Skills for Arts Organisations" 2 day workshop
- 1994-2000 Chairperson Buku Larrngay Mulka Yirrkala,NT
- 1995-1997 Full Councillor, Northern Land Council
- Former Chairperson Laynhapuy Homelands Committee NT
Languages spoken:
Yolugu Matha, English
