Wandjuk Marika

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Wandjuk Marika OBE, born 1927, died 1987, was an Australian 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.[1] [2]

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).[3] [4] Djang'kawu is the founding ancestor of the Riratjingu in traditional stories.[5]

He co-founded the Aboriginal Arts Board in 1973, and became Chairman in 1979.[6] He was awarded the Order of the British Empire that same year.[7]

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.[8] His portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra[9], and several of his paintings feature in the Art Gallery of New South Wales.[10]

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.[11]

He was the author of The Aboriginal Children's History of Australia.[12]

Marika wrote frequent but unsuccessful letters to the Australian federal government to protest against mining activities on Yolngu lands.[13]

Wandjuk Marika was the uncle of Raymattja Marika.[14]

[edit] Further reading

[edit] References

  1. ^ MARIKA, Wandjuk, “Foreword”, in ISAACS, Jennifer, Australian Dreaming: 40,000 Years of Aboriginal History, 1980, ISBN 0-7254-0884-7, p.5
  2. ^ Biography of Wandjuk Marika, Art Gallery of New South Wales
  3. ^ "Wandjuk Marika", The Concise Grove Dictionary of Art, Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Biography of Wandjuk Marika, Art Gallery of New South Wales
  5. ^ MARIKA, Wandjuk, “Foreword”, in ISAACS, Jennifer, Australian Dreaming: 40,000 Years of Aboriginal History, 1980, ISBN 0-7254-0884-7, p.5
  6. ^ "Wandjuk Marika", The Concise Grove Dictionary of Art, Oxford University Press
  7. ^ "Wandjuk Marika", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, December 1, 2003
  8. ^ "24th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award", Northern Territory government website
  9. ^ National Portrait Gallery
  10. ^ Biography of Wandjuk Marika, Art Gallery of New South Wales
  11. ^ Wandjuk Marika on IMDB
  12. ^ MARIKA, Wandjuk, The Aboriginal Children's History of Australia, Rigby, ISBN 0727002368, 1977
  13. ^ Biography of Wandjuk Marika, Art Gallery of New South Wales
  14. ^ "Wandjuk Marika", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, December 1, 2003