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‘Marranbala Country’book by Simon Normand withMaureen Marranulu ThompsonArt Worker Focus, ScottDixon, Warnayaka Arts,By Louisa ErglisMarranbalaCountry is abeautifully presented newbook that documents storiesfrom the Roper River region andthe Gulf of Carpenteria from thearrival of the cattle industry andthe missionaries, to current activityto keep traditional culture alive.The book is focused around storiesabout artist Maureen MarranuluThompson’s extraordinary life growingup in the Roper Mission in the 1930’stold through her words, paintingsand via compelling photographs ofMarranbala Country. Thompson, 78, isa traditional owner and one of only ahand-full of people who now speak theMarra language.The book focuses attention on the factthat people of Ngukurrr still have reallystrong relationships to the land andincludes recent paintings by GertieHuddlestone, Amy Jirwulurr Johnson,Betty Roberts, Sambo Barra Barra,Faith Thompson Nelson and AlanJoshua Junior from Ngukurr Arts. Thebook also includes maps examiningMarra Country from an Indigenousperspective. Ngukurr elder KevinNumumurrdidi Rogers said: ‘It is veryimportant to get recordings and storiesbeing told about the people of theMarra tribe.’Marranbala Country was launched atthe Northern Territory library on 30April with an exhibition of paintings,photographs and archival maps and aperformance by the Wagilak Songmenfrom Ngukurr (now part of PaulGrabowsky's Australian Art Orchestra).Built on the site of the old Roper Missionin the 1960’s the NT township of Ngkurris just 100 meters on the other side ofthe river from Marra Country locatedin the area soon to be the new LimmenNational Park. Its people continue to useMarra Country for fishing and hunting,and retain guardianship over its waterholes and other sacred places.Above: Maranbala Country book.Below: left, Maureen Marranulu, Right, MarranbalaCountry Map. Photos: Simon Normand.Scott Dixon has been workingat Warnayaka Art Centre forabout 6 months and startedon CDEP. He is a great workerand because of his positiveattitude and willingness tolearn anything new he hasbeen offered a permanent parttime position.Scotty is the Trainee Floor Manager.He stretches canvas, looks after theartists and does minor repairs inthe Art Centre. Scott looks after allaspects of the painting floor. He hasbegun learning computer skills andlearning Adobe Photoshop. He isnow our main photographer of ourart for our cataloguing process.Scott also paints as an Art Centremember learning from his seniors,He is pretty excited about the newoutdoor area we will be constructing.And has already marked all the newwood working tools and started atool register.Above: Scotty Dixon. Photo: Warnayaka Arts.12 Arts Backbone – Books Volume 9: Issue 1 June/July 2009