“My father’s Country. This is the four soaks in his Country.”
– Emily Bumba
Name: Emily Bumba
Biography:
I was born in La Grange Mission- now it’s called Bidyadanga community. Bidyadanga means emu drinking from a waterhole in Karajarri language. Bidyadanga is home to four other tribes besides Karajarri. They came from the desert- the Mangala, Nyangamarta, Juwaliny and Yulparrija tribes. My father’s tribe is from the Ngurrara area (Joanna Springs) and his language group is Mangala. My mother’s tribe is Manyjillyjarra. She’s from the Great Sandy Desert, Kulyakartu area.
I, myself go by two ways- my mother’s and my father’s way. I am Milangka skin, my father is Panaka and my mother is Karimarra. I have six sisters including myself and one brother. I grew up in Bidyadanga and I was schooling at La Grange Remote School up until grade seven. I did my years eight to ten at Nulungu College in Broome. I did further education in Saint Mary’s school in Leederville until year twelve. I was placed in a foster house in Perth while I was schooling- I went back and forth during school holidays to be with my family.
Growing up in Bidyadanga was strict! My father was really protective of all of us- my sisters and brother. He wanted the best for us, for our education, and to have respect for our elders and for our family members. My father was working for the mission, he was a manager helping Father McKelson. Working alongside beside him was John Dodo, a Karajarri tribal elder, and Jack Malardy, also a Karajarri tribal elder. My mother was working at the bakery shop along with the other local ladies. She was also working with the nuns doing laundry and ironing and cooking for the lay missionaries.
The reason why I took up painting is because both of my parents came from the desert, the Martu and Ngurrara area. Working with the old people here at the Martumili Artists centre is giving me more connection to my mother and father’s country, because both of my parents have passed away. I feel privileged working with my elders, Wokka and Muuki and [Kanu] Nancy Taylor (dec.), my mother’s brothers and her sister in law. Their stories will continue on in my paintings.
Karlamilyi “This Karlamilyi area, big land. That’s a ngurra (home Country, camp) belonging to our old people, Warnman people. We talk for our land, our jila (snake). I grew up in this Country, my Country. Read more…
Untitled Doreen first learned to paint alongside her mother, beginning her artistic career with Martumili Artists in March 2009 when she and the other women of Punmu painted a large collaborative artwork to raise funds Read more…
Mungili Waterholes and Rockholes “No one goes there and sees that landscape. Only two, Mr and Mrs [refers to footsteps in painting]. They was walking to see if the water was in there. Walking on Read more…