As well as being the Chairman of ANKA’s Board of Directors since 1998, Djambawa Marawili AM (b.1953) has held numerous other positions, including Chairperson of Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, Chairperson of Laynhapuy Homelands Committee, Board Member of the Australia Council, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board and Board Member of the Northern Land Council. In 2014 Djambawa was also appointed to the Prime Ministers Indigenous Advisory Council.  As ceremonial leader of the Madarrpa clan of North East Arnhem Land, Djambawa uses his art to communicate his wider socio-political aims - drawing on the strong foundations of Yolngu culture to educate, inspire and seek justice for his people. 

Through various advocacy, administrative and educative roles, Djambawa acts as an interface between Yolngu and the wider non-Indigenous population of Australia. He was a participant in the production of the Barunga Statement (1988), which led to Bob Hawke’s promise of a treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody (established in 1989) and the formation of ATSIC in 1990.

As he has consistently throughout his life, Djambawa uses painting to show the sacred designs that embody his right to speak as a part of the land, whether it be above ground or under the sea. He was instrumental in the initiation of the Saltwater: Yirrkala Bark Paintings of Sea Country exhibition, which toured nationally from 1999–2001. He coordinated the 2004 Sea Rights claim in the Federal Court which eventuated in the High Court’s determination that Yolngu did indeed own the land between high and low water mark (2008 Blue Mud Bay case).

Djambawa’s work is held in many important public and private collections including Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, Scotland; Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth; JW Kluge Collection, Virginia, USA; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; President of India Art Collection; National Maritime Museum, Sydney; Northern Territory Supreme Court, Darwin; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; Holmes a Court Collection and Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

Wukun’s father, Mithili Wanambi, died before he was able to learn from him to any great degree. Wukun began painting in 1997 as a result of the Saltwater project in which he participated. His arm of the Marrakulu clan is responsible for saltwater imagery which had not been painted since his father’s death in 1981. His caretakers, or Djunggayi, principally the late Yanggarriny Wunungmurra (1932–2003), transferred their knowledge of these designs to Wukun so that the title to Saltwater could be asserted. Some of these designs were outside even his father’s public painting repertoire. 

Wukun’s first bark for the Saltwater project won the 1998 NATSIAA Best Bark award. Wukun has gone on to establish a high-profile career. In the 2003 NATSIAA awards, a sculptured larrakitj by Wukun was Highly Commended in the 3D category, and since then he has been included in many prestigious collections. He had his first solo show at Raft Artspace in Darwin in 2004 followed by solo shows at Niagara Galleries, Melbourne in 2005 and 2008. 

Wukun has been involved heavily in all the major communal projects of this decade including the Sydney Opera House commission, the opening of the National Museum of Australia, the Wukidi ceremony in the Darwin Supreme Court and the films: Lonely Boy Richard, The Pilot’s Funeral and Dhakiyarr versus The King. Wukun is an active community member in recreation and health projects and supports a large family.

In 2014 Wukun graduated from The Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts course in Indigenous Arts Management.  Offering the only graduate course of its type, The Wilin Centre provides specialist training, knowledge and skills that prepare participants for leadership roles in the arts industry.

Lily is a senior weaving artist and traditional owner of Yurrwi (Milingimbi). She is a Walamungu woman who produces dilly bags (bathi), fish traps (angadjadjiya) and round-feathered mats that are associated with salt water bubbles or Djulnyirr. Lily has exhibited widely as a member of Milingimbi Art and Culture, where she is also a former Director.

Lily sits on the board of the Arnhem Land Progress Association (ALPA) and has previously sat on the board at the Milingimbi Resource Centre and the Milingimbi Community Council. She has also worked extensively with the Northern Land Council in a community liaison role.

Johnny lives in the community of Gapuwiyak and is a Yolgnu man from the Ganalbingu clan and is known for his paintings of Ganalbingu songlines as well as his mothers Wagilak clan stories.

In 2000 Johnny travelled to Canberra to perform at the official opening of the Aboriginal Modern Worlds Exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia and in 2017 he was the inaugural winner of the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award, which provided him with a mentorship and opportunity to illustrate the children’s picture book ‘Little Birds Day’ by renowned author and illustrator Sally Morgan. The book was released in March 2019.

Jangu Nunhirribala was born in East Arnhem Land and has spent most of her life in the Numbulwar community.

Known as the ‘Matron of Numbulwar’, as a young woman she was chosen to train as an assistant in nursing at Darwin General Hospital and on completion of her training, returned to Numbulwar where she worked for the next 20 years.

Jangu completed further training to become an Aboriginal Health Worker and later a Senior Health Worker.  In 2014 she was awarded for her lifetime service to the community with a Care and Compassion medal at the NT Pride of Australia Awards.

Jangu has also coordinated a respite care service in Numbulwar, has worked at the Numbulwar School as a translator, and today represents the Numburindi Artists Association mentoring younger artists. 

In 2016 Jangu completed the ANKA Art Worker Extension Program.

Walter is a senior artist and elder at Ngukurr Arts, situated on the banks of the Roper River.  At the Art Centre Walter is a Cultural Leader, Tribal Leader and teacher. He is dedicated to passing his knowledge onto young people and teaching them art production techniques.

Walter is also currently working on a collaboration between Ngukurr Arts and the Ngukurr Language Centre called ‘The Ngukurr Story Project’. For this project Walter is working with filmmaker Naina Sen to produce ‘I am Numamurdirdi’ a short film telling the story of his life as a ceremonial leader and dancer. 

Dotty is a Larrakia women who has lived in Darwin her whole life. 

Dotty began painting in early 2000 and has since developed an accomplished career.

She has been involved with public art works including several murals around Darwin. She also contributed to the painting of the water tank at East Arm, which tells the story of the Larrakia.

Dotty's art focuses on food that is available from Larrakia land and sea.  

'The curved lines I paint is unique only to me.  My grandfathers came to me in a dream and told me to paint it this way.  I will continue to paint in this way forever'.

www.larrakia.com

Rhoda Hammer represents Waralungku Arts that is based in Borroloola.

Rhoda is a former ANKA Art Worker Extension Program graduate who has a passion for conserving her culture. 

In 2020 after many years of work Rhoda established the first keeping place for her Art Centre and her community. 

Dora was born in Kununurra, living there her entire life, except for some schooling in Broome in Years 8 & 9, returning to Kununurra for Year 10.

Dora has worked at St Joseph's School as a teacher's aid and at Mirima Language Centre as a secretary; she has also spent time at the women's centre where she held the position of chairperson.

Dora now works at Waringarri Arts where she holds the role of Project Officer. 

Dora also completed ANKAs Art Worker Extension Program in 2011, and now participates in ANKAs AWEP Graduate Program. 

Gabriel Nodea was born in 1969 at the Derby Leprosarium hospital. He says his early life was complicated because he moved around to different places throughout the Kimberley. Gabriel says his family moved from Texas Downs station to Wyndham, then to Halls Creek, Nookanbah and finally to Warmun. There he attended Ngalangangpum Community School and went to high school in Broome. He was the first student from Warmun to complete year ten.

Gabriel has worked in the Warmun community office and began painting in 2004. He stopped painting for several years, only recently beginning again. He is also a strong dancer and an important holder of Gija culture and language.

 Gabriel says; 'I paint what I dream. I do contemporary painting about the Dreaming and what I dream, in accordance with the Dreamtime connection and history of my Mother's people, Gija people.'

In his role as Cultural Liaison Officer at Warmun Art Centre, Gabriel initiates and plans activities and events to ensure that the Art Centre remains a cultural hub for the Warmun Community.

Maxine is a Yawuru Custodian of Broome region – Yawuru Country.

Maxine is also an artist, beginning her career in 1996 where she attended courses at Geraldton Tafe in contemporary art techniques. Maxine then continued her studies after moving back to Broome at the Kimberley Institute of Training.

Maxine is now a textile artist at Nagula Jarndu Designs in Broome and also conducts print making workshops in the Kimberley region.

Maxine completed the ANKA Art Worker Extension Program in 2015 and was a mentor to graduates in the 2016 program.

Lynley Nargoodah is from the Jimbalakudumj Community, 120kms from Fitzroy Crossing. 

Lynley first began working at Mangkaja Arts in 2014 where she has held roles as Gallery Assistant Administration Assistant, HR Manager and now has moved into Collections Management. Growing up in and around Fitzroy Crossing Lynley has learnt how important it is to preserve stories from elders. From a young age she would listen to stories from the past and her new role embodies this passion.

Lynley completed the ANKA Art Worker Extension Program in 2016 and has become a member of the ANKA Art Worker Extension Graduate Program where she recently completed a Certificate in Cross-Cultural Conservation & Heritage at University of Melbourne, Grimwade Centre.

Jedda Puruntatameri lives and works in the community of Pirlangimpi on the Tiwi Islands. She is a traditional owner of Yapilika on Melville Island.

Jedda has many year’s experience managing the RIBS (Remote Aboriginal Broadcasting Service) unit at Pirlangimpi. As a professional multimedia practitioner Jedda has directed, produced and broadcast radio and television programs in English and Tiwi for the Pirlangimpi Community, SBS and ABC. In 2008 she directed two programs for Yarning Up (now ABC Message Sticks) titled ‘One man, One Tree’ and ‘The Bombing of Darwin Dance’. Jedda also worked recently as a Production Assistant on the feature documentary A League of Their Own, which was also shot on the Tiwi Islands. 

In 2012 Jedda received the Preston Award at the National Remote Indigenous Media Festival and in 2016 received the Mr Garawirritja Award for her contribution to Media, Entertainment and the Arts at the National Remote Media Festival in Yirrkala.

Jedda is an active member of her community and works across several organisations including the Tiwi Land Council, the Pularumpi School, the Health Centre and the Local Shire Council. Jedda is also works at Munupi Arts in Pirlangimpi where she is an advisor to the Board of Directors while also currently establishing the Art Centres digital archives and curating cultural programs.  Jedda also works for the Red Cross.  She volunteers in these positions as she is passionate about strengthening the culture of her people.

Pedro grew up at Pirlangimpi on Melville Island.  And as a teenager with his family he moved to Milikapiti.

He was educated in Darwin and on his return to Milikapiti in 1989, Jilamara Arts was incorporated. 

Pedro's art is stepped in Tiwi tradition.

'The designs are already in my head and I use the Kayimwagakimi our traditional wooden comb made from Ironwood and natural ochres from the island to paint. 

Pedro has been exhibiting since 1989 and his artworks are in many national, state and private collections Australian wide and overseas. 

He is a senior culture man of the Tiwi Islands with a significant and strong knowledge of the 'hard' Tiwi language and all of the songs and dancing important in Tiwi Culture. 

www.jilamara.com

John Martin Tipungwuti was active at Jilamara Arts in the early years of the Art Centre before he moved to Bathurst Island.

John Martin is an active member of Tiwi Designs along with his wife Brenda Tipungwuti. His mother is the elder Mary Magdalene Tipungwuti, and his older brother Pius Tipungwuti is also a respected carver. John Martin and Pius are the nephews of the highly acclaimed Tiwi carver Declan Apuatimi, their father Dermot Tipungwuti's half-brother. 

Michelle moved from Pirlangimpi to Milikapiti in the 1980s.  She attended high school at St John Catholic College in Darwin and Slade School in Brisbane.  She has worked in counselling support for Indigenous Health, Relationships Australia, the Red Cross and Menzies Health before joining Jilamara.

She started painting at Jilamara Arts in 2012 while raising her three daughters, she is also an arts worker and was the president of the Art Centre from 2016 to 2018.  Her works are based on the stories of Japarra the moon man and Japalinga the stars, bush food, hunting, and Winga (the sea) surrounding Milikapiti.

Michelle completed ANKAs Art Worker extension Program in 2015 and continues to participate in ANKAs Art Worker Extension Graduate Program.  In 2017 she was one of 4 AWEP graduates to participate in assistance technologies trials conducted by AWEP graduates, that have since been rolled out within other ANKA projects.

Ngarralja was the first Indigenous Chairperson of ANKA, remaining as a Director with the organisation for 21 years.

He is an important person for art and culture in the Kimberley region. He is a former Deputy Chairman of Mangkaja Art and former Chairman of Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre (KALACC).

Ngarralja Tommy May is a Wangkajungka/Walmajarri man. He was born at Yarrnkurnja in the Great Sandy Desert. He dances and sings Kurtal, a ceremony relating to main jila (living waterhole) in his country.

A cultural & ceremonial leader, Ruth was an ANKA Board Member from 2007 to 2014, then in 2018 accepted a role as a Special Advisor to the ANKA Board. 

Throughout her career she has held many administrative roles such as Assistant Manager, Executive Committee member and Administrative Assistant at Milingimbi Arts.  Ruth was also a teacher’s aid and Tutor at Milingimbi Primary School, and worked at the Elcho Island Knowledge Centre where she was an Administrative Assistant and Researcher.

In 2006 she served on the board of the Milingimbi Ganttjirrik Festival; a cultural festival held in the community of Milingimbi.  While in 2017 she played a key role in the Makarrata Ceremony at Milingimbi Art and Culture.

Ruth Nalmakarra is an established artist experienced in the mediums of painting and fiber art. Ruth has participated in numerous exhibitions and her work has been selected for the National Indigenous & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) in the Bark Painting category.

Christina Davidson has over 35 years experience in the arts industry and a wide knowledge of contemporary Australian and international art. She has specialised in cross-cultural liaison with a focus on contemporary Australian Indigenous art. Christina has worked as the Chief Executive Officer of ANKA since September 2007. Her role involves working with the ANKA directors and membership to fully develop and implement the ANKA vision and Business and Strategic Plan according to the priorities and values identified by the members. Christina’s role ensures accountability to the Board of Directors, reporting on services, finances, staffing and progress against the Business Plan and other matters in accordance with the constitution. Christina’s previous roles have included academic appointments at the art colleges of the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne, including working as Coordinator of Art Theory and History at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney.

Stephanie joined ANKA in 2020 after spending two years as the Art Centre manager at Warmun Arts.  She has a background in art and design and is currently studying a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at the Centre for Social Impact UWA after being the recipient of a CSI scholarship.

Kate spent many years as a volunteer for ANKA before joining the team.  She currently assists the team in the delivery of the Art Worker Extension Program.

Sharon was born and grew up in Darwin. She attended Charles Darwin University where she obtained an accounting degree and also qualified as a CPA accountant. Sharon has worked in a number of different roles over the past 25 years but primarily for Lowrys Accountants and at the moment has a bookkeeping and finance role for a number of businesses in Darwin.