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Four Wandjina’s

These land Wandjina are waking up and looking out. That’s how they get together: they have a meeting, get together, set the rules and law down. Wurdoo, it is bringing us out to carry it on. It’s their law we are doing that today with our children. In the story, they’re coming out, I always see them when I come out to this country, I feel it. They are very strong, they speak to me in their way. They are very spiritual Wandjinas. What I’m painting is what I’m feeling inside, it’s strong. They’re from Freshwater Cove, coming up from Cone Bay: my granny’s and grandfather’s country. I felt them when I went to Freshwater Cove. They are real In me. They learn all the law. Today we are teaching the children, they grow up and keep the same law. When you’re in town, out of respect you can’t go into another person’s home. In that same way we’ve got to respect the law.

Name: Phillip Gar Gar Gar Duckhole


Language: Ngarinyin


Community: Mowanjum


Biography:

Phillip was born at Glenroy Station and was the eldest of 2 brothers and 1 sister. His father's country was Bremrrda and his mother's country was at Grace's Knob.

When his father passed away, he left Glenroy with his mother and went to Silent Grove, and then Mt Hart. After a few years they walked to Napier Downs, and then when Phillip was school-aged they walked all the way to Kimberley Downs for him to complete primary school. When it was time for him to attend high school he boarded at a high school in Derby and attended the United Aboriginal Mission. He left school in the late 1960s and worked at Kimberley Downs and Napier Downs stations where he learnt riding skills and carried out stock work. 


© the artist / art centre