Jilamara NewsBy Cher Breeze,Arts CoordinatorSales and Goals Achieved!Tiwi Art NetworkBy Brooke Ravens/Angela HillWe are coming up to a very busytime at Jilamara, with exhibitions,workshops and a film crewcoming to Milikapiti to make adocumentary featuring PedroWonaeamirri and Jilamara.Hetti Perkins Senior Curator <strong>of</strong> Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Art at the ArtGallery <strong>of</strong> New South Wales (AGNSW) ismaking a major three-part documentarytitled Art and Soul which focuses onher connections and experiences withcontemporary Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander artists.Pedro has a long-standing friendshipwith Hetti. He has a suite <strong>of</strong> Pukumanipoles in the AGNSW collection and hasbeen interviewed by her on numerousoccasions for publications.Talking about films, an ABC film crewhave just finished filming here atKarslake. The story is about a manwith ten wives, his love and his life.Many Jilamara artists were involvedas actors. They had a great time andlook forward to seeing the film, whichis scheduled to program on ‘MessageStick’ later this year.Timothy Cook has recently beenaccepted to exhibit in the WesternAustralian Premier’s IndigenousArt Award 2009. This is a nationalart award highlighting the diversityand richness <strong>of</strong> Indigenous art fromacross the country. The main award<strong>of</strong> $50,000 is the largest cash prize<strong>of</strong> Indigenous art awards in Australia.Everyone at Jilamara wishes Timothy thebest <strong>of</strong> luck.The annual Footy Art Sale is hailedas the biggest event on the Tiwicalendar, and this year was noexception. It was held on Sunday22 nd March 2009, and coincidedwith the Tiwi Footy Grand Final.Once a year these strangebedfellows come together in amuch-anticipated celebration <strong>of</strong>the magical talent that is the Tiwi!Despite the wets’ intense heat, themood was jubilant as the determinedfootballers took to the field while earlierin the day local artists prepared thedisplays <strong>of</strong> work under the tin ro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>Tiwi Design Aboriginal Corporation. Ina frenetic buying spree, sweaty shoppers– ranging from seasoned indigenous artcritics to eager first timers – immersedthemselves in the colour and designs.Hundreds <strong>of</strong> prints, paintings, carvings,fabrics, baskets and ceramics were onsale, showcasing the diverse talent andcreativity <strong>of</strong> the artists from the island’sthree art centres. The day was a greatsuccess and it was fantastic to see somany Territorians make the effort totravel to Nguiu and catch a glimpse <strong>of</strong>Tiwi life and culture.I would like to take this opportunity t<strong>of</strong>arewell Michelle Newton and QuentinSprague, who have been the ArtCentre Manager and Coordinatorrespectively at Jilamara Arts and CraftAssociation for the last two years.We would also like to welcome to therole Barry Hayes and Cher Breezefrom Grafton, New South Wales.Congratulations to you both andwelcome to life on the Tiwi Islands. Itis great to have a couple that bringa wealth <strong>of</strong> experience and positiveenthusiasm to the position.The Tiwi Art Network Gallery in Parapwill begin its dry season exhibitionprogram with an installation <strong>of</strong> TiwiDesigned tungas (bark baskets) titledMalapinyina. Lorraine Babui said,‘In the olden days bark baskets werepainted for Pukamani ceremony. Thedots represent people, we call thempwanga. The crosshatching representsthe scarring done for Kulamaceremony. The straight lines representthe body painting done for ceremony– we call them malapinyina. Mygrandmother taught me how to painttungas. I hope to teach my children sothey can carry on our Tiwi culture.’Below: Displays <strong>of</strong> work under the tin ro<strong>of</strong><strong>of</strong> Tiwi Design Aboriginal Corporation at theAnnual Footy Art Sale. Photos: Pamela Mills.Right: Painting by Timothy Cook ‘Kulama’ ochreon canvas, 2008, entered into the WesternAustralian Premier’s Indigenous Art Award 2009.Photo: Courtesy Jilamara Arts/Seva Frangos.18 Arts Backbone – News Volume 9: Issue 1 June/July 2009
Out and About!ANKAAA AGM December 2008. Thank you to MrTommy May for 21 Years <strong>of</strong> outstanding leadershipand service for ANKAAA. L-R: Mr Tommy May,Christina Davidson, Djambawa Marawili.Eight ANKAAA Directors graduated from CertificateII Leadership Training, with the AustralianIndigenous Leadership Centre, June 2009.Carol Hapke, Chairperson Waringarri Arts; CathyCummins, Manager Waringarri Arts.Joanne Miller, NT State Manager DEWHApresenting at 2008 Art Workers conference –Building Strong Art Centres.Senior Gapuwiyak fibre artists Anna RamathaMalabirr (left) and Lucy Armstrong (right), withANKAAA’s Resource and Development Officer,Danielle Cullen (centre), GACC opening, June2009.ANKAAA Director Alan Joshua, Sydney College <strong>of</strong>the Arts, June.ANKAAA Director Brian Farmer with JirrawunManagers Quentin Sprague and MichelleNewton, Jirraawun, May.ANKAAA Chairman Djambawa Marawili and MabelJuli (senior Warmun artist), Warmun Arts, May.One year anniversary celebration <strong>of</strong> sea rightsvictory, Baniyala. L to R. Francis Morphy, HowardMorphy, Djambawa Marawili.Business Planning Workshop, Australia Councilfor the Arts, June. L-R: Mark Stapelton (AustraliaCouncil), Ruth Nalmakara and Alan Joshua (ANKAAADirectors) and Mei Lin Bastian (Australia Council).ANKAAA Directors Alan Joshua and RuthNalmakarra, Art Gallery <strong>of</strong> NSW, June.Volume 9: Issue 1 June/July 2009 News – Arts Backbone 19
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