Margaret Rarru Garrawurra
Dhuwal
Margaret Rarru was born in Galiwin’ku (Elcho Island). Today she lives on her mother’s Country of Laŋarra (Howard Island) and at Yurrwi (Milingimbi Island), both off the coast of north-east Arnhem Land. In the unhurried environment of Laŋarra homeland, Rarru gathers materials and processes them into artworks, imbued with their ancestral origins and Rarru's drive to create new distinct forms.
In 2022, Rarru won the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award (NATSIAA) for her Dhomala, a monumental three-metre tall handwoven pandanus sail. The work referenced the contact between Makassan seafarers and traders of the Indonesian Archipelago and saltwater peoples of northern Aboriginal nations.
Rarru is a senior artist and master weaver at Milingimbi Art and Culture, and a respected elder among the community. Rarru speaks little English, however she engages with the balanda (non-Indigenous) world through her art practice, becoming well known for her ‘Madonna bra’ bathi (baskets) and wearable pieces, as well as her minimalist forms including mol mindirr (black dillybags).
The technique of immersion dyeing has been widely practiced in Arnhem Land since the arrival of missionaries, however the recipe for creating black dye from local plants has been refined by Rarru. From blue to copper blacks, Rarru has become renowned for the depth and range of her black hues. Yolŋu weavers respect Rarru's commitment to her practice and while they may know the recipe and use small amounts of mol (black), the use of mol alone in a work is reserved for Rarru and those to whom she gives permission.
Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra
Dhuwal
Helen Ganalmirriwuy Garrawurra is a proud Ḻiyagawumirr Garrawurra woman. Ganalmirriwuy grew up on her mother's Country at Laŋarra. Her father's Country, Gärriyak, is on the mainland, south of Galiwin’ku and Laŋarra. Today Ganalmirriwuy lives and works at Milingimbi and Laŋarra. As a master weaver and painter, she is known for her limited palette inspired by Ḻiyagawumirr Garrawurra ceremonial body paint designs.
‘I am a Ḻiyagawumirr Garrawurra woman. And my maḏayin' are the two Djan'kawu. You know, the Two Sisters – the ancestral beings. They gave miku (red), watharr (white) and buthalak (yellow) ochre colours for us to paint with. We use them for the Ŋärra law ceremony, which is a cleansing ceremony.’
Ganalmirriwuy paints her clan designs onto ṉäku, lorrkun ga miṉḏirr (bark, hollow logs and woven dilly bags) as well as paper and board. The minimalist aesthetic that is inherent to her Ḻiyagawumirr Garrawurra clan designs also informs the colour fields and geometric patterns explored in her weavings.
Mandy Batjula Gaykamaŋu
Gupapuyŋu
Mandy Batjula Gaykamaŋu is a Gupapuyŋu woman, daughter of esteemed community leader, Helen Milminydjarrk. She lives and works alongside her mother and mother’s sisters, including senior artists Ruth Nalmakarra, Margaret Rarru and Helen Ganalmirriwuy.
In 2017 Margaret Rarru recognised Batjula’s commitment to her weaving practice and gave permission for her to create works using Rarru's own iconic black dye, which Batjula now pairs with her own distinctive coil technique.
The daily routine at Batjula and her mother’s camp is set by the rhythm of harvesting, preparing, dyeing and weaving bush fibres. She is a young artist, however the precision and detail of her work is of a standard usually attributed to the most senior weavers. In addition to her weaving practice, she also paints Garrawurra clan designs inspired by ceremonial body paint designs and sections of the Djan’kawu Sisters story synonymous with Garrawurra country, song and law.
Depending on the season and ceremonial obligation, Batjula divides her time between her grandmother’s homeland of Laŋarra and Yurrwi.
