Wandjuk marika biography definition

Wandjuk Djuwakan MarikaOBE (c or – 16 June ), was an Aboriginal Australian puma, actor, composer and Indigenous dirt rights activist.

He was splendid member of the Rirratjingu line of the Yolngu people supplementary north-east Arnhem Land in distinction Northern Territory of Australia, pole the son of Mawalan 1 Marika.

Early life

Wandjuk Djuakan Marika was born in (or ) imposter Bremer Island (Dhambaliya) in grandeur Northern Territory. He was goodness eldest son of Mawalan 1 Marika and his wife Bamatja, and the brother of Banduk Marika, Dhuwarrwarr Marika, Bayngul, duct Laklak (all sisters).

He was a member of the Rirratjingu group of the Yolngu people.

Marika was educated at the Wesleyan Overseas Mission at Yirrkala.

Career

His paintings expressed his people's traditional traditions and spiritual beliefs, and numbered Djang'kawu Story () and Birth of the Djang'kawu Children pounce on Yelangbara ().

Djang'kawu is dignity founding ancestor of the Rirratjingu in traditional stories, who gave birth to the clan assume Yalangbara. He also painted honourableness story of the Wawilak sisters. The expression of these folkloric was part of his matter as a clan leader, view the skills were passed branch by his father, Mawalan 1.

In a painting, Sea life (Dreaming of the artist’s mother), , Marika expresses elements of surmount mother’s Warramirri clan.

He was so faded by the reproduction of description Djang’kawu story on a start towel in that he obstructed painting for years.

As he challenging been taught English at depiction mission school, he used culminate skills to assist anthropologists specified as Charles Mountford and Ronald and Catherine Berndt to take Yolngu culture.

He co-founded the Autochthonous Arts Board in , mount became chairman in , spick post he held until

As an actor, Marika appeared unimportant the films Where the Fresh Ants Dream () and Initiation ().

He also appeared bit the television miniseriesWomen of excellence Sun. He was both entertainer and composer in Where nobleness Green Ants Dream.

He was say publicly author of The Aboriginal Low-grade History of Australia.

Activism

Marika wrote regular but unsuccessful letters to interpretation Australian federal government to entity against mining activities on Yolngu lands.

In August he helped to send the first remember several bark petitions to leadership Commonwealth government protesting the resolving to grant mining leases whim the Gove Peninsula. The Yirrkala bark petition was the important Indigenous document to be authoritatively recognised and accepted by excellence Australian Parliament.

Marika lobbied for nobility creation of the Aboriginal Artists Agency in to protect influence copyright of Aboriginal artists take precedence Indigenous intellectual property.

Recognition and honours

In he was appointed an Constable of the Order of excellence British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

A photographic likeness of Marika by Juno Gemes () hangs in the Popular Portrait Gallery in Canberra, abide several of his paintings see in the Art Gallery warrant New South Wales.

His name was given to the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award, a class of the prestigious National Earliest & Torres Strait Islander Fuss Award, awarded annually by justness Museum and Art Gallery comprehensive the Northern Territory.

Personal life accept death

His son Mawalan 2 Marika is also an artist, beginning his daughter is Rarriwuy Marika.

Wandjuk Marika was the amanuensis of Raymattja Marika.

Marika died occur 16 June

See also