YALMAKANY MARAWILI

Ŋarra yäku Yalmakany Marawili. My name is Yalmakany Marawili.

I was taught by my mother Mulkun Wirrpanda. I learnt about many different plants and bush food. Like in the old days, until now, Yolŋu people still hunt and have bush food and medicine. To help our families grow in good health.

Some of the young people are knowledgeable about plants and some are not. I have been teaching my own grandkids about bush medicine and natural foods. I have been telling them and showing them the foods for Yolŋu people. And how the Yolŋu people from the old days fed themselves from the land. In the days before Ŋäpaki (foreigners) brought all the food in. When it was just us Yolŋu occupying this land a long time ago. That is what I am teaching them about. Some are interested and some are distracted by too many, many things that are going on like playing cards.

But the rangers are great. That is where I worked for a long time. Through my life I have learnt these things. It began with my mother, Mulkun. I was taught by her. She taught me a lot. Originally it was my mother who took us everywhere with her and was constantly teaching us how to live. If we were digging yams, chasing honey or collecting shellfish she was always teaching. If someone was sick she would take us to the bush to get the correct medicine to heal that Yolŋu. Yes, that was what my life was like as a child. She taught us how to identify every different leaf and the habits of the plants.

Making these paintings is hard work and takes a very long time for each one but I am used to it now and it relaxes me. I paint almost every day - all day. I feel that I am not wasting my time painting the way I was taught to keep this knowledge alive. Over time I have come to paint in a different style of my own which has just evolved through my painting for so long.

–Yalmakany