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Woman’s Camp

This artwork was created during the bush food and medicine Wanti’s (women’s) camp of 2024, held collaboratively by Martumili Artists and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa. Focused around a bush camp at White Gums held in 2024, Martumili Artists and KJ rangers have collaborated on a body of creative and cultural works that explore and demonstrate the importance of traditional bush food and medicine for Martu. Camps and the working exhibits foster opportunities for Martu led intergenerational learning, and showcase the ways in which both ranger and artistic work is embedded in maintaining Warrarnku Ninti (knowledge of Country). During the camp Martu knowledge and narratives of linyji (termite pavement nests) were explored and how they have been ingeniously utilized for generations for food processing, healing and ceremony.

Categories: Shire of East Pilbara (Martumili Artists)

Name: Morika Biljabu

Language: Manyjilyjarra

Community: Punmu

Biography:

"I was born in Port Hedland in January 1988, my skin is Purungu. I’m a Martu girl. My first language is Manyjilyjarra and my second language is English. I grew up in Parnngurr and Punmu communities. When I was young, I didn’t know what was out in the desert. Even when I first took photos of Martu people, I didn’t really know what was going on. When the old people all started painting, I asked them what they were doing and they told me where their country was and taught me the country stories. I really love taking photos of the old people and they have been giving me a better idea of what they are doing when they paint. That was how I learned about the history of the Canning Stock Route and how they all lived in the desert. How they survived there. They all helped me a little bit. They helped me understand how I am connected to their paintings and related to all the families through the skin groups and how we are all connected to the country. It’s a big country. All the people seem to paint different stories, but it’s the same story underneath. We’re really all one people, with one big story and one big country." Morika has been assisting her grandmother, Jakayu Biljabu, on a series of significant works and learning more about her country. In 2009, Morika was nominated for the Prix Pictet, an international prize devoted to photography and sustainability.

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