Wandjuk Marika
Encyclopedia
Wandjuk Marika OBE
, born 1927, died 1987, was an Australia
n Aboriginal painter
, actor
, composer
and land rights
activist. He was a member of the Riratjingu clan of the Yolngu
people of north-east Arnhem Land
, Northern Australia
.
His paintings expressed his people's traditional religious beliefs, and included Djang'kawu Story (1960) and Birth of the Djang'kawu Children of Yelangbara (1982). Djang'kawu is the founding ancestor of the Riratjingu in traditional stories.
He co-founded the Aboriginal Arts Board in 1973, and became Chairman in 1976. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
that same year.
His name was given to the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award, a category of the prestigious National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award
, awarded annually by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
. His portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery
in Canberra
, and several of his paintings feature in the Art Gallery of New South Wales
.
As an actor, Marika appeared in the films Where the Green Ants Dream
(1984) and Initiation (1987). He also appeared in the television miniseries
Women of the Sun
. He was both actor and composer in Where the Green Ants Dream.
He was the author of The Aboriginal Children's History of Australia.
Marika wrote frequent but unsuccessful letters to the Australian federal government
to protest against mining
activities on Yolngu lands.
Wandjuk Marika was the uncle of Raymattja Marika
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, born 1927, died 1987, was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Aboriginal painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and land rights
Aboriginal title
Aboriginal title is a common law doctrine that the land rights of indigenous peoples to customary tenure persist after the assumption of sovereignty under settler colonialism...
activist. He was a member of the Riratjingu clan of the Yolngu
Yolngu
The Yolngu or Yolŋu are an Indigenous Australian people inhabiting north-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Yolngu means “person” in the Yolŋu languages.-Yolŋu law:...
people of north-east Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
, Northern Australia
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
.
His paintings expressed his people's traditional religious beliefs, and included Djang'kawu Story (1960) and Birth of the Djang'kawu Children of Yelangbara (1982). Djang'kawu is the founding ancestor of the Riratjingu in traditional stories.
He co-founded the Aboriginal Arts Board in 1973, and became Chairman in 1976. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
that same year.
His name was given to the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award, a category of the prestigious National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award
National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award
The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award is one of the most prestigious art awards in Australia. Established in 1984 by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and awarded annually, it is sponsored by Telstra, so is commonly known as the Telstra Award.Prize-winners...
, awarded annually by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is the main museum in the Northern Territory. The museum is located in the inner Darwin suburb of Fannie Bay...
. His portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, and several of his paintings feature in the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales , located in The Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, was established in 1897 and is the most important public gallery in Sydney and the fourth largest in Australia...
.
As an actor, Marika appeared in the films Where the Green Ants Dream
Where the Green Ants Dream
Where the Green Ants Dream is a 1984 film by German film director Werner Herzog. It was Herzog's first film in English although also dubbed into German. Based partly on the Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd case and making use of professional actors as well as Aboriginal activists who were involved in...
(1984) and Initiation (1987). He also appeared in the television miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Women of the Sun
Women of the Sun
Women of the Sun is an award-winning Australian historical drama television miniseries which was broadcast on SBS Television and later the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1981. The series, co-written by Sonia Borg and Hyllus Maris, was composed of four 60-minute episodes which portrayed the...
. He was both actor and composer in Where the Green Ants Dream.
He was the author of The Aboriginal Children's History of Australia.
Marika wrote frequent but unsuccessful letters to the Australian federal government
Politics of Australia
The Politics of Australia take place within the framework of a parliamentary democracy, with electoral procedures appropriate to a two-party system. Australia is governed as a federation and as a constitutional monarchy, with an adversarial legislature based upon the Westminster system...
to protest against mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
activities on Yolngu lands.
Wandjuk Marika was the uncle of Raymattja Marika
Raymattja Marika
Raymattja Marika was an Australian Yolngu aboriginal leader, scholar, educator, translator, linguist, grandmother and cultural advocate. She was a Director of Reconciliation Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies...
.
Further reading
- Wandjuk Marika: Life Story, by Jennifer ISAACS, University of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandThe University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
Press, ISBN 0702225649, 1995