Garma Festival

Festival guests were given the unique opportunity to witness the dedication and flair of Yolngu artists as they created their works of art. The artists also shared their knowledge in demonstrating the traditional methods used in the painting process.

Bark painting is more common during the wet season, when the stringybark is moist and it’s bark is easier to peel away in large sections. Once peeled, the wet bark is then heated in the fire to dry out and harden. The bark is then beaten flat to present a smooth surface from which to begin painting.

Attention to detail is a highlight of Yolngu paintings. This is achieved in their thin brushes which are made traditionally out of human hair, creating the finest of strokes.

The earthy colourings contained in the painting, signifies the Yolngu’s everlasting bond with the land. Red, yellow, black and white ochre is mixed with water to create a rich paste.

Familiar animal species dominate the painting of the Yolngu. Kangaroo, snake, fish, sting-ray, and baru (crocodile) are all constant themes.

Although the paintings do not always tell a story, they all seem to depict the everyday way of life for the Yolngu.

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Maritime Museum acquires Yolngu bark paintings

The Australian National Maritime Museum today acquired a collection of 77 bark paintings from the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land.

The barks map hundreds of kilometres of coastal land, showing the physical and social features of the region. They reveal sacred knowledge and explain the Yongu’s ties to these lands.

The Museum’s Acting Director, Mary-Louise Williams said the museum paid $300,000 for the collection, which is currently touring around Australia as an exhibition titled Saltwater — Yirrkala Bark Painting of Sea Country.

"The paintings are not only superb works of art, they have an important place in Australian history. They have been produced deliberately to help non-Aboriginal people understand Yolngu law, and through this, the Yolngu’s claim to Sea Rights", Ms Williams said.

The sale of the bark paintings will ensure the stories and knowledge base of the Yolngu culture will be shared with the rest of the world.

"There is enormous interest in bark paintings of this calibre overseas, and we are already talking to museums and galleries in North America and Europe about the possibilities of an international tour", Ms Williams said.

Academic Program & Health Summit

Garma 2000’s academic program officially opened today.

In his opening address, chairman of the the Yothu Yindi Foundation Galarrwuy Yunupingu called for compromise, saying Garma was not about competing cultures.

A key goal of Garma is to share the knowledge base of Australia’s Indigenous communities. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous academics and educators were invited to attend the festival and review the involvement of Aboriginal culture in Australian educational institutions.

"We now seek to coincide in our knowledge, to weigh and balance," Galarrwuy said.

"You must not be dominant over me and I must not be over you. I have tried to learn your language, now you must learn mine. Now is the time to compromise. We will build Australia for the first time".

Galarrwuy said he felt that the universities and educational institutions in this country were maturing in their acceptance of Aboriginal culture and knowledge.

He also said there needed to be a better vision of Aboriginal health - one in which Aborigines had a greater involvement in setting the agenda. He called on health professionals to help plan the Aboriginal management of the issue.

The relationship between education and Aboriginal health problems was also raised. Placed on the agenda of Garma 2000 was the recommendation to have a high school in every Northern Territory community with more than 200 students, to be complete in 3 years.

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