Latest news with #LarrakiaCountry
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
These are the winners of the National Indigenous Music Awards
The 2025 National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs) lit up the Darwin Amphitheatre on Larrakia Country, celebrating the power and diversity of First Nations music. Now in its 21st year, the NIMAs have become a cornerstone of the country's music calendar, honouring trailblazers and emerging talent from across the nation. Emily Wurramara claimed one of the night's biggest honours, taking out Artist of the Year. Hip hop powerhouse BARKAA walked away with Album of the Year for her acclaimed release BIG TIDDA, a project praised for its unapologetic storytelling and fierce representation of Blak womanhood. Arnhem Land favourites Andrew Gurruwiwi Band were named Best New Talent, bringing their infectious Yolŋu funk to a national audience. The group also took home Song of the Year for Once Upon A Time. Other major winners included Emily Wurramara again for Film Clip of the Year (Lordy Lordy), and Bulman School & Community for Community Music Clip of the Year with Crocodile Style, showcasing the creativity of young people in remote communities. The evening featured powerhouse performances from Jessica Mauboy, Miss Kaninna, Velvet Trip, Emma Donovan and Troy Cassar-Daley, alongside a Hall of Fame induction. Jessica Mauboy was honoured as the 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, recognising her remarkable career and lasting impact on First Nations music. The proud Kuku Yalanji and Wakaman woman, born in Darwin, has achieved six Top 10 albums, 16 Top 20 singles and 31 ARIA nominations, while championing Blak voices through hits like Burn and Little Things and acclaimed screen roles in The Sapphires and The Secret Daughter. She took to the stage for a special performance to mark her induction. Full list of winners: Artist of the Year – Emily Wurramara Best New Talent – Andrew Gurruwiwi Band Album of the Year – BARKAA (BIG TIDDA) Film Clip of the Year – Emily Wurramara (Lordy Lordy) Community Clip of the Year – Bulman School & Community (Crocodile Style) Song of the Year – Andrew Gurruwiwi Band (Once Upon A Time) Hall of Fame Inductee – Jessica Mauboy
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Promoting the remote': fashion meets art to bring Indigenous stories to life
The lights go down on the catwalk, as the voice of Witiyana Marika of Yothu Yindi calls out over the sound system, singing bush wallaby manikay (traditional song) in Yolŋu matha. Then Marika's first-born grandchild, Yolŋu model and Vogue cover star Magnolia Maymuru, dances on to the runway's red carpet, wallaby-style. The lights go up, revealing Cassie Leatham's Matriarchs Circles of Life gown, a New Look-style silhouette the Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung artist of the Kulin nation created using scrap fabrics and a traditional coil weaving technique. As Maymuru walks slowly, proudly, down the runway, the song shifts to Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly's This Land is Mine, a ballad of intertwined perspectives – a settler-colonial one, in which Country can be bought and owned, and an Aboriginal one in which Country and self are inextricably connected. We're on Larrakia country, Garramilla/Darwin, for Country to Couture, the annual showcase of First Nations fashion and textiles. The show's powerful opening encapsulates everything that makes Country to Couture unlike any other fashion event in Australia. It's the sense of cross-generational relationships; the sense of community and kinship; the celebration of culture and connection to Country; the focus on caring for the environment. Over the evening, 20 collections by First Nations designers and artists – ranging from debuts to more established labels such as Magpie Goose and Delvene Cockatoo-Collins – are showcased by First Nations models, to an entirely First Nations soundtrack. When Malyangapa Barkindji rapper Barkaa hits the runway mid-show and sings 'this is my fuckin house' (as her mother, award-winning jewellery designer Cleonie Quayle, watches on from the front row), you really feel it. The next morning Maymuru tells me she was in tears just moments before the show opened. Waiting to walk, she'd peeped a retrospective slideshow on the big screens either side of the runway, and seen photos of herself at the very first Country to Couture in 2016. It was her first time on the runway, aged 19. 'It all came flooding back,' says the model. 'The tears just started flowing.' Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Maymuru wasn't only thinking of her own journey. 'There's been such a big shift [in the fashion industry] since I started out back in 2016; a huge wave of First Nations fashion and models,' she says. 'To be a part of a generation where we made a huge movement that changed the nation – [and] to be a part of it from the beginning right up until now – it was just an incredible feeling.' Country to Couture, now in its 10th year, has been a vital part of that movement: the first and largest showcase of First Nations fashion. But Country to Couture has always been as much about art as apparel. Started by Darwin Aboriginal art fair (DAAF) in response to the demands of participating arts centres – most of them in remote communities – it has consistently foregrounded collaborations between artists and fashion designers. At the heart of it all is Country and culture, says the DAAF artistic director, Simon Carmichael, a Ngugi man from Quandamooka Country in south-east Queensland. 'Across all of the different art forms, whether it's performance or fashion or design … these stories are brought to life in really impactful and vibrant ways that enable people to connect with the stories and learn more.' Michelle Maynard, a Tasmanian Aboriginal designer and manager of Indigenous Fashion Projects, which runs Country to Couture, says the event is 'not trying to replicate the mainstream fashion industry'. 'That's there for people if their aspirations lie in the commercial landscape,' she says. 'But I think the greater percentage of our participants' aspirations aren't.' 'We're kind of carving out our own shape of how we want to participate in fashion.' Maymuru, who has walked runways across Australia, says Country to Couture is unlike any other. 'It's promoting the remote,' she says. 'You get to see people's identities; you see who they are in their designs. You hear their stories. Each and every single one of us have our own totems, our own songlines, our own Country. And we tell these stories through art and through fashion – and DAAF allows us to show it to the world. I just think that's amazing.' She closed this year's first runway show in a cape featuring hand-painted designs by artists from Bula'Bula Arts in the remote Yolŋu community of Ramingining in north-east Arnhem Land. 'That cape actually represented the art centre, the people, the land,' says Maymuru. 'I was very honoured to wear it.' Before the show, she met two of the artists backstage, and discovered a connection with one of them through the Yolŋu kinship system. 'Turns out I call the designer grandad! It was just such a special moment,' she says. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion It was Bula'Bula's third Country to Couture and second year collaborating with Darwin fashion designer Marcia Russell, AKA Black Cat Couture. Usually the artists work in traditional forms of weaving and painting using natural materials, and Angela Banyawarra, whose paintings of Gumang (magpie geese) – one of her totems – featured in the collection, says there is a 'freedom' in painting traditional designs in a new medium. The main goal, however, is sharing ancient stories: 'The way we paint comes from where we come from and where we belong.' Painting garments is a way to 'show everyone what it's all about', Banyawarra says. For people in Ramingining, meanwhile, wearing clothes featuring their traditional designs and totems, is empowering. 'It's good for the Indigenous young ladies to wear it … we feel proud,' Banyawarra says. Eunice Yu, a Yawuru and Bunuba woman and manager of Nagula Jarndu, a women's arts and resource centre in Broome that was part of Country to Couture's first year, talks about 'mabu liyan', a Yawuru concept that 'embodies this whole sense of feeling good about everything that you do'. The women working with Nagula Jarndu want to see their art on clothes because 'it's something you can wear and it makes you feel good', she says. 'Some things are out of your control, but we want to be able to feel good all of the time.' This year, Nagula Jarndu partnered with Saheli Women, a like-minded social enterprise based in Rajasthan, India, bringing together Yawuru designs with Indian block-printing, embroidery and natural dyeing techniques to produce a collection of loose, flowing dresses and casual pants and tops. As with all Nagula Jarndu's collections, the artists will earn commission from selling their clothes. The centre, meanwhile, used the partnership with Saheli, an established atelier, to expand their thinking around financially and environmentally sustainable models within fashion. 'We don't want to contribute to the big waste management issues [in fashion],' Yu says. 'We're going to look at sustainable ways of producing and manufacturing.' Magpie Goose, a fashion label and social enterprise based in Magandjin/Meanjin/Brisbane, is also driven by the cultural and economic empowerment of the artists it works with. For every collection, the label partners with a different arts centre or collective for its prints, and so far it has raised more than $700,000 in royalties for these artists. 'Artists and stories are the focus,' says co-owner Amanda Hayman, a Wakka Wakka and Kalkadoon woman and artist. 'Fashion is just a platform.' For this year's Country to Couture – their second – they debuted a collaboration with a collective of Quandamooka artists including 2025 Natsiaa finalist Elisa Jane Carmichael. Hayman says fashion is a tough business and 'definitely not a money maker'. Although Magpie Goose is more of 'a love project', she says 'it does create impact for the remote communities that we work with'. 'It's also beautiful to see the artworks transformed into this other thing – and for the artists, to see other people wearing their story is really special.' Dee Jefferson travelled to Darwin courtesy of Tourism NT
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Australia's Prestigious Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair returns for its 19th Year, and you can access it online!
DARWIN, Australia, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The world-renowned Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) returns to Larrakia Country in Darwin, Australia, and is online from August 8 to 10 (2025), celebrating Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, design and culture. The largest event of its kind, DAAF Online is a global mecca for art and culture enthusiasts, gallerists, collectors, and first-time buyers, seeking a truly unique shopping experience. Hosting artworks from more than 44 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres online (and 79 Art Centre across the hybrid event), DAAF Online invites guests to immerse in the rich and diverse contemporary creations of the world's oldest living cultures. Importantly, the DAAF Foundation also ensures the ability to ethically acquire exquisite artworks, with 100 percent of sales made going back to artists and their communities. From the red sands of the Central Desert to the sparkling saltwater islands and waterways of Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait Islands), the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) online platform offers access to a world of bold, contemporary First Nations design grounded in more than 65,000 years of culture. The art reflects the deep connections to Country, culture and community which shape each artist's practice. From intricate etchings at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka in Arnhem Land to ochre-rich canvases from the Tiwi Islands' Jilamara Arts, every purchase supports ethical and sustainable futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and their communities. Buying First Nations art is more than a transaction—it's a powerful act of connection. As Adam Boyd of Moa Arts shares, it offers "a unique view of Country and the people that keep it alive." Whether it's the vibrant works of Iwantja Arts celebrated on the global stage, or Warlukurlangu Artists whose fire stories travel far beyond Central Australia, each artwork carries generations of storytelling, innovation and cultural strength. Buy ethically from DAAF online and support the next chapter of Indigenous-led creativity and self-determined futures. Some of the Art Centres featured at DAAF Online have, and are currently being exhibited internationally, in the United States and Europe: Buku‑Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala, Arnhem LandIn 2023–25, Madayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala toured the United States—the first major U.S. exhibition curated in collaboration with Yolŋu leaders and featuring over 80 bark paintings, honouring Yolŋu cultural governance and artistic authority. The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous ArtLaunching on 18 October 2025 at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, this major cultural exchange—partnering with the National Gallery of Victoria—features over 200 works by more than 130 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. It marks the largest-ever presentation of Indigenous Australian art internationally and will tour North America through early 2027, including venues like the Denver Art Museum, Portland Art Museum, Peabody Essex Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum. This exhibition will be featuring many artists from DAAF 2025's participating Art Centres Jilamara Arts, Tiwi IslandsIn March 2025, artist Johnathon World Peace Bush debuted his UK solo exhibition at Frieze No. 9 Cork Street, London—showcasing Tiwi ceremonial traditions through a striking, contemporary lens. Warlukurlangu Artists, Yuendumu (Warlpiri Country)From July to October 2025, Revisions: Made by the Warlpiri of Central Australia with Patrick Waterhouse was exhibited across Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery in the UK. This collaborative project layered new acrylic works over colonial-era maps and documentation, asserting Warlpiri cultural sovereignty and narrative renewal. DAAF Foundation's executive director, Claire Summers, said "the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair will return this August, allowing visitors to purchase and immerse themselves into the art of over 1,500 Indigenous artists and designers. "We feel privileged to provide this global stage. It's inspiring to witness the market growth and appreciation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and design since the Fair began 19 years ago. "Art fairs have a critical role to play in helping artists connect to both domestic and international markets. DAAF is unique in that it provides a platform for artists to showcase their work, putting Indigenous agency and their culture at the forefront. "We look forward to welcoming guests from around the globe to buy directly from our Art Centres through our online component of the Fair," she said. DAAF Online can be accessed via the following links: DAAF Online imagery can be accessed here: Imagery Further Event Information 19th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) | 7-10 August: Including the Opening Ceremony, Public Program and DAAF Online The only national event of its kind, DAAF has secured a reputation as one of the country's most significant and internationally recognised arts events, creating a unique opportunity to connect with, and ethically purchase art directly from Art Centres, while meeting artists and learning firsthand about their cultural heritage, stories, history and traditional artistic practices through a range of masterclasses, talks and demonstrations. Those unable to make the journey to the Top End of Australia and DAAF at the Convention Centre in person are invited to experience DAAF Online 2025. Free to access, the online platform will be open from 10am Friday 8 August, to 9pm Sunday 10 August 2025 (Australian Central Standard Time). Information & tickets: DAAF Foundation is supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation and receives funding from Creative Australia through the Australian Cultural Fund, Australian Government Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support, Australian Government Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, Northern Territory Government through Northern Territory Major Events Company, Place for Indigenous Art & Culture, University of Melbourne, City of Darwin, Chapman & Bailey. About the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation (DAAF Foundation) The Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) Foundation is a not-for-profit, Indigenous organization, which is owned and governed by the 80+ Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres and Peak Bodies it represents. DAAF Foundation celebrates the rich cultural and artistic diversity of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Centres. DAAF Foundation's vision is to provide vibrant and exciting platforms for First Nations art, design, and culture with a reputation for innovation, diversity and cultural integrity. Its keystone event is the renowned Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. More here: What is an Art Centre? Art Centres are at the heart of their communities, and of all that the DAAF Foundation does. Art Centres play an important role in maintaining and strengthening cultural practices. They operate as meeting places and offer opportunities for training, education, career pathways and enterprise. Art Centre sales play a vital economic role in remote communities, often being the only externally generated source of income. Economic independence helps ensure the agency for people to live on their homelands, continuing the preservation of traditional practices, ceremonies, language, art and spirituality. Art Centres provide a safe and supportive environment for artists and their families, contributing to the social and physical health of the community. More here: Instagram: @darwinartfair Facebook: @DarwinAboriginalArtFair View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
ABC News
22-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Larrakia artefacts returned by Californian museum after decades overseas
The saltwater coasts of Larrakia country are a long way from the sprawling campus of the University of California, Los Angeles. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the image and name of an Indigenous person who has died. But there, nestled in the city's hillside at the Fowler Museum, priceless artefacts belonging to Darwin's Larrakia traditional owners have sat for decades. That was until this week, when the 10 glass spearheads and kangaroo-tooth headpiece began their long journey home as part of a worldwide mission to reunite Aboriginal artefacts with their rightful custodians. Larrakia traditional owners Darryn Wilson and Tina Baum travelled across the world for a handover ceremony at the museum and to collect their ancestors' belongings. "Once we saw the items, I was extremely proud, extremely honoured, I found strength in my identity as a Larrakia person," Mr Wilson said. "There was a lot of joy, none of the sadness of 'they've been taken away'. It's just about today," Ms Baum said. The traditional owners said the items had a "time-capsule quality" and were of immense significance to Larrakia people. "The importance of these ancestral works reinforces the mastery of Larrakia makers," Ms Baum said. "These incredible works show both post-contact [history], using glass bottles, as well as the strong cultural practice that's in the kangaroo-tooth headdress." Mr Wilson said reclaiming the artefacts would allow Larrakia people "to have that connection to our ancestors". "It allows this generation to showcase the craftsmanship of our elders," he said. The story of how the artefacts came to be so far from home is somewhat fuzzy, after they passed through the hands of some of the world's most well-known collectors. The glass spearheads were initially taken from inmates at Darwin's Fannie Bay Gaol in 1929, and later ended up in the Wellcome Trust, owned by British pharmaceutical entrepreneur and collector Sir Henry Wellcome. The kangaroo-tooth headband was purchased by the Wellcome Trust at an auction in 1934, two years before Sir Henry's death, when the collection was dispersed. They were all then gifted to the Fowler Museum in the 1960s, along with 30,000 other items. Now, after almost a century away from Larrakia country, they are finally being returned as part of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies's (AIATSIS) Return of Cultural Heritage program. The program has led to the repatriation of thousands of long-lost items to their rightful owners, including other artefacts from the Northern Territory. But while the AIATSIS estimates there are still hundreds of thousands of other items around the world waiting to be brought home, the institute's Dylan Daniel-Marsh said attitudes within museums and galleries globally were changing. "When they see community [members] come into these institutions overseas and conduct a return, they see the impact that has on the community and it's very hard to argue against that," he said. In a statement, Fowler Museum director Silvia Forni said the exchanges deepened the institution's partnership with Indigenous communities. "Museums play a vital role in acknowledging past wrongs and fostering meaningful cultural exchange," she said. The artefacts will now be temporarily held at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin until a new Larrakia Cultural Centre opens in 2026.
