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13 July, 2021
Bangarra is devastated to hear of the recent passing of an important and esteemed member of the Yirrkala Community and beloved member of our Bangarra Cultural Family. Highly respected as an artist, she inspired a generation of Yolngu to take up this practice, sharing her Cultural knowledge and deep understanding of Country through her powerful art.
Her passion for Land Care and agriculture connected her to ancestral knowledge, passed down through generations of women through her family. Her calm healing presence, guidance and teachings inspired many and she gave generously to mentoring and shaping the young women in her Community.
Her relationship with Bangarra and particularly the Page brothers grew over 32 years of love and mutual respect. They bonded through kinship ties, as both navigated the dual responsibility to empowering Indigenous peoples and Communities through storytelling, and the broader role of transforming mainstream perspectives of Indigenous people in society through art and education. She long supported Stephen’s creative vision and gave generously in her role as a cultural contributor to many of Bangarra’s works.
She was a true warrior for her Community, an icon in the visual arts world, and an inspirational woman of wisdom and depth who made a significant contribution to enriching the artistic and cultural fabric of our Country.
Stephen and Bangarra sends their love and sincerest condolences to her family, the Yirrkala, Nhulunbuy Community and wider North East Arnhem Land area.
Photo: Daniel Boud