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West Coast Eagles

This painting portrays one of the annual football carnivals in Martu Community. Each of the remote communities has a football team, and every year a different community is chosen as host to the carnival. The carnivals are important social events, and present a chance to catch up with friends and family members. Everyone travels long distances to support the players and celebrate together. 

Life in community is unique; the distance between communities and major centres means few outside visitors pass through, travel between communities and towns is via long 4WD journeys or on the mail plane, fresh fruits and vegetables are relatively scarce, and up until recently telephone communication was limited to a few fixed landlines and community phone booths. Whilst these communities are continually being modernised, Country remains central to community life, both physically and culturally.

Name: Matthew Mintern


Language: Manjilyajarra



Biography:

"I've been learning painting, my misses learned me painting, Vivianne Porter, my wife. I was doing painting with them, I was living with Vivianne my wife, in the community Jigalong. I've gone to Alice Springs, I've gone Adelaide for her painting."

Matthew's father is from Jigalong, and speaks Manyjilyjarra. His mother grew up in the bush and eventually moved to Wiluna to start a family. Matthew is the first of his brothers and sisters and went through mens business in Jigalong.

 


© the artist / art centre