Fitzroy Valley, Kimberley

Introduction to the remote community of Kadjina on Milijidi Station in the Fitzroy Vallery near the Prince George Range. 

The following statement is by Yangkana Laurel and is both in English and the Walmajarri language.

Jarla lamparn marna ngujajangka najukurangu ngamajingu jaa ngarpungu
pajipila wangkiyunganiny Walmatjarrigurnu.
Yaniny jangka marna. Kuulkarti ngajirta marnanyanta rukanyjarla ngaju —
kuranga wangki. Jalarra marna yutukarralany Walmajarri wangki mirlimirlinga
yangka pajirlu jurlalany jarlujanka wangki Walmajarri wangki pa purlka Wamarn
kujarra palu malany ngurrawalany ngurrawalany minyartini martuwarra.
Jiljignurnu palu pirriyaniny Walmajarri jartini wangki Wali.

'When I was a child living with my mother and father, they taught me to talk my language and to understand every word they told me. When I went away to school I still remembered my language. I was away for a long time at a mission in Fitzroy Crossing.They never let us talk our language there, but we used to sneak away and talk where we couldn’t be heard. I taught myself to write Walmajarri.I studied the Christian songs that were written in Walmajarri. Now when the old people tell me stories, I can write them down.There are a lot of people talking Walmajarri along the Fitzroy River and in the Great Sandy Desert. I am happy that I can speak, write and teach kids Walmajarri, so I teach our kids our language.'

— Yangkana (Madeline) Laurel (1997) Preface to Wulungarra Stories Kadjina CommunitySchool

In 1788 there were probably about 250 Indigenous language groups in Australia with more than 600 discrete languages. Today it is estimated that there are as little as 25 languages with more than 1000 speakers, 11 with between 500 and 100 speakers and 43 with between 100 and 500 speakers. An unknown number still exist with a handful of speakers, but more than half of those existing two hundred years ago have disappeared forever.

Yangkana is a respected elder in her community and Chairman of the Wulungarra Community School which is part of the Kadjina Community located at Milijidee near Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley. The school has a strong commitment to maintaining and strengthening children's knowledge and use of traditional language and cultural practices. Wulungarra places a high priority on teaching Standard Australian English literacy and numeracy while recognising the students' status as speakers of other languages. Yangkana is a teacher at the school using several traditional languages including her own; Walmajarri. Yangkana’s paintings reflect her knowledge and love of her country that is part of the Fitzroy Valley near the St George Ranges and the stories respond to the native plants and animals that are so important to the day to day life of the community and the ancestral stories that also form an integral part of her teaching and art.

Represented here are the results of two print making projects; the first conducted with Australian Print Workshop and master print maker Martin King mentoring the process of preparing and etching the plates for printing. The second in 2010 with Vivienne McDermitt, introducing the medium of linocut. These projects compliment the superb small, folk art style paintings that Yangkana is recognised for.

Gecko Gallery is proud to support Yangkana and the community of Kadjina.