Blak, Loud and Proud

NAIDOC Week (7-14 July) is an annual celebration of the rich heritage and incredible achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In line with the NAIDOC Week 2024 theme “Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud”, we hear from six First Nations artists on how they have kept their heritage alive through their community and craft. 

   

Clockwise, from top left: Domica Hill, Michael Kelly, Louise Nangala Egan, Sheri Skele, Azeza Possum, Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton.

 

Azeza Possum

Born in Kempsey, NSW, Azeza Possum is a proud Anmatyerre woman who now resides in Melbourne. From a renowned family of artists, Azeza’s parents are Michelle Possum Nungurrayi and Heath Ramzan Tjangala, and her grandfather was the acclaimed Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, one of the founders of the Western Desert art movement at Papunya. 

Azeza’s art differs from that of her family in that she also depicts Indigenous women’s ceremonial stories and dreaming, and the colours that she uses are stronger and bolder. 

 

My Great Great Grandmother's Land by Azeza Possum

My Great Great Grandmother's Land depicts motifs that give symbolic form to tribal women against the dramatic desert backdrop of Yuelamu. The women inherited this land from their Ancestral Grandmother, who travelled to this Anmatyerre site in the Tanami Desert during the Dreamtime, at Creation.

Represented as symbolic U-shapes, the women are shown in different areas collecting wild-growing bush food, which is given form through star-like shapes that represent berry bushes. Clusters of pool-encased small dots and large dots serve to represent various types of berries and bush plums that the women collect. This painting holds many secret and sacred landmarks and iconography, but also includes the important elements of fire, bush tucker, and waterholes that are imperative to the women.
 

Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly is a proud Bundjalung man from Tweed Heads, NSW. From a young age, Michael observed other incarcerated young Aboriginal males and admired their natural talent and creativity in their times of hardship, inspiring him to pick up a brush and use painting to overcome his own challenges.  

Michael’s artwork are representations of his life and expressions of his healing journey. They aim to give meaning to life and to help understand the world around us. Bahna Gratitude, a spiritual reflection for the gratitude of each passing day, is one such example of Michael’s contemplative approach to his artistic expression. 

Mint Bahna Gratitude by Michael Kelly

"We reflect and embrace our Aboriginal culture that is so deeply connected within us. We are grateful for who we are and our culture that makes up our individual journey and outlook on life," shares Michael. 
 
The colour variations in the Bahna Gratitude series portray the different representations of individual journeys and outlooks on life. Despite the differences however, Michael remarks, “We may have different journeys but we should all aim to raise each day to a grateful heart and spirit.”

Combining traditional patterns with modern day techniques, Michael’s artwork is a reflection on Country and connections, and a celebration of the beauty around him. 
 

Louise Nangala Egan

Louise Nangala Egan and her siblings were brought up by her grandparents, Thomas Jangala and Jeannie Nungarrayi, who are well-known artists and have an Elder role in Yuendumu, a community 290km north-west of Alice Springs. It was through her grandparents that Louise learned to paint her Jukurrpa. 

These ‘dreamings’ are all about her land, its features, and the plants and animals that inhabit it. They have been passed down through the generations. Louise initially used traditional iconography, but over time she has developed her individual style using pattern and design in a variety of contexts to depict her traditional Jukurrpa.
 
 

Green Ngapa Jukurppa III by Louise Nangala Egan

Ngapa Jukurrpa III tells the story of two Jangala men, rainmakers who sang the rain, unleashing a giant storm. The storm travelled across the country from the east to the west,  initially travelling with a pamapardu Jukurrpa (termite Dreaming) from Warntungurru to Warlura. At Warlura, a gecko called Yumariyumari blew the storm on to Lapurrukurra and Wilpiri. At Mikanji, the storm was picked up by a kirrkarlanji (brown falcon) and taken farther north. At Puyurru, the falcon dug up a giant warnayarra (rainbow serpent). The serpent carried water with it to create another large lake, Jillyiumpa.
 
In contemporary Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa. Short dashes are often used to represent mangkurdu (cumulus and stratocumulus clouds), and longer, flowing lines represent ngawarra (flood waters). Small circles are used to depict mulju (soakages) and riverbeds.
 

Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton 

Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton loves spending time visiting the country around Yuendumu and telling her kids the stories of this land, 290km north-west of Alice Springs. Pauline paints her mother’s Jukurrpa stories (Dreamings) which relate directly to her land, its features, and the plants and animals that inhabit it. These stories were passed down to her by her mother and her mother’s mother before them for millennia. Pauline is very actively involved with the local community including the Mt Theo Youth Program and Warlpiri Media doing broadcasting for local language radio programs.
 
Pauline’s painting below depicts a Yankirri Jukurrpa (Emu Dreaming) from a place called Ngarlikurlangu, approximately 50km north of Yuendumu. The kirda (owners) of this Dreaming are Nangala/Nampijinpa women and Jangala/Jampijinpa men. This artwork tells the story of a yankirri (emu) and a wardilyka (bush turkey). While the emu lived at a soakage to the west called Warnirripanu (or Walangkamirirri), the bush turkey lived at a soakage to the east called Parirri. The emu and bush turkey used to go around the country picking yakajirri (bush raisins) together and mashing them into kapurdu (fruit balls) to save in their nests for later. 
 
 

Multi-Coloured Yankirri Jukurrpa III by Pauline Nampijinpa Singleton

They were quite jealous of each other, in particular, the emu thought that the bush turkey was picking the best raisins, leaving him only the sour ones. While the bush turkey was out hunting, the emu went to the east and smashed up the fruit balls that the bush turkey had been saving in his nest. When the bush turkey returned, he realised that the emu had destroyed them. He went to confront the emu, and they started fighting. The bush turkey flew away to the north, leaving behind the smashed bush raisin balls. Today, at Ngarlikirlangu, we can see round, red rocks which are the fruit balls that the emu once smashed. 
 
In contemporary Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography can be used to represent the Jukurrpa, associated sites, and other elements. Emus are usually represented by arrow-like shapes that depict their wirliya (footprints) as they walk around.
 

Sheri Skele

Sheri Skele is a proud Bidjara woman of southwestern Queensland. She began painting as a way to connect with her culture and Bidjara heritage which she only discovered when she was in her teens. Painting is an intuitive and spiritual experience for Sheri and she refers to her artwork as bigi nagala meaning “I am dreaming” in Bidjara.

Bidjara Country has a wealth of Aboriginal cultural and sacred sites including healing places, undisturbed natural bushland, lagoons and ancient waterways. Sheri’s artwork is not only inspired by the heritage and beauty of Bidjara Country, but also Gubbi Gubbi Country (Sunshine Coast) where she is now based.

 

Lessons by Sheri Skele

When Sheri was in her twenties, she also had the opportunity to work at Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation, an organisation established by Yolŋu land-owners in Northeast Arnhem Land. This experience of being surrounded by her aunties and uncles, listening to stories, and learning how to live off Country taught Sheri many valuable lessons, and her realisation of how this adventure has shaped who she is today comes to life in her artwork, Lessons.

“Life is a learning process and a continuous learning experience. Throughout our lives, we keep rising and falling, picking up important lessons along the way. One of the hardest things is remembering to practise what you’ve learned because these are often the most valuable lessons of all.”
 

Domica Hill

Domica Hill is a proud Palawa woman from Lutruwita (Tasmania), where there are rich traditions of art, storytelling and oral history. Domica’s connection to her ancestors has inspired many aspects of her work including the use of traditional symbols and stories, which Domica adapts with a contemporary lens. 

Painting for Domica began as a way of healing after the loss of her first child, Briar, who tragically passed shortly after she was born. Domica also shares her art to heal others and encourages people to emotionally connect to her pieces. 

Of course, learning about her culture is also a prominent aspect of her work and Domica aspires to use her art to educate others. “Every piece shares a story and a little bit of culture is embedded into the creation in symbol form. When people read and connect to the art, they are connecting and learning about our culture,” she explains. 
 

Always Connected by Domica Hill

Connection is a strong theme in Domica’s work and Always Connected is one such piece that embodies this. The large intersecting circles represent the people closest to us such as family, while below that are friends and other communities, and in the sky are the stars representing the ancestors. 

“It’s about seeing blessings in what you do have. Through a meaningful reliance on each other, you do not just take but you give. This is what forms the deep meaningful connection to one another,” she explains. 

Celebrate NAIDOC Week and explore the beautiful work of the First Nations artists on our site.