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.

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. 

Colin grew up in Milikapiti community on Melville Island until the age of 7. He then moved to Mt Allan (Yuelamu) community in centeral Australian. He then went on to complete his schooling at Saint Philips college Alice Springs. 

After school Colin moved to Garden Point where he started painting at Munupi arts, he was also elected on the board. At 21, Colin moved to Melbourne for a year and interned with the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). Colin is now back at Milikapit where he is an Artist and artworker at Jilamara Arts. 

“Even though I’ve moved away from the Tiwi Islands before, no matter how many times you go away you still always miss the scenery and the seafood. 

There was this place we used to go camping called Mudlow (it’s also called Shark Bay). There was this one spot I used to go and sit. It’s on one of the cliffs looking out at this island called Wulinju. It’s beautiful country. There’s one picture that sticks in my mind when I think of Wulinju. One day it was very cloudy except for this one ray of sunshine going straight down to the island, it was almost biblical in a way.”

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.

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. 

Angelina was born in Kalumburu and has lived in Kalumburu all her life. Her mum is famous artist Lily Karadada and her father is Jack Karadada, who was a medicine man and would make artifacts like didgeredoo and spears for hunting.

 "My mum used to paint on bark, bush baskets and Numarrga (bush cradle). I learnt two languages from my parents, plus other languages in my life."

In Karadada's recent series "Wandjina Emerging", the artist explores traditional painting mediums of white ochre, both saltwater and freshwater, which she collects herself and natural resin which she collects from the white gum tree. Laborious and strenuous activities, the artist considers the process important in connecting to her ancestors while creating extraordinary Wandjina paintings of luminous pale pink and chalky white with earthy texture.

Not only an excellent painter, Angelina is employed as a Senior Arts Worker at Kira Kiro Artists. She graduated from the ANKA Arts Worker Foundation Training Program and the National Gallery of Australia Wesfarmers Indigenous Leadership Fellowship in 2019.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

Donna Nadjamerrek is member of the Mok clan and former chairperson of Injalak Arts where she continues to work as a mentor for young artists.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.