WUKUN WANAMBI

Mithili Wanambi, Wukun's father, a renowned artist died on 5th March 1981.
Wukun, his eldest son (d.o.b 18.5.62) was only 18 at this time and not yet
fully schooled in the sacred design of his arm of the Marrakulu clan who
sing the saltwaters of Gurka'wuy Trial Bay.

When the Yolngu began to organise to paint their sea country in 1997 the
Djunggaya or managers of this group bequeathed him the designs they had
been holding in trust since his father's death. Wukun was deemed ready to
learn and it was crucial that his area be represented.

In 1998 Wukun's first ever bark painting (made for the "Saltwater-Yirrkala
Bark Paintings of Sea Country" national touring exhibition and book) won
the Telstra NATSIAA Best Bark Painting Prize. In 2004 his larrakitj
(memorial pole) was Highly Commended in the three dimensional category of
the same Award.

"Since my father passed away... ten years later I started to come as an
artist. Now I have been recognised by the old people and the art galleries
as a ceremony man. When I was doing the sea rights thing that gapu hit me
really hard. Thats when I realised how important that gapu was to me and
how the guya was connected to gapu. And thats when I concentrated on these
two pieces of pattern."
gapu = water, guya=fish.

Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre
Yirrkala NT 0880