Donny woolagoodja biography
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Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja: A Fascinating and Important Biography
A wonderful, fascinating biography bygd renowned Kimberley artist Yornadaiyn (Donny) Woolagoodja, and an important book for all Australian households.
Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja, out 1 October, fryst vatten a generous sharing of renowned Kimberley artist Yornadaiyn (Donny) Woolagoodja’s culture and traditional beliefs. Full of extraordinary images of the landscape, rock art, stone arrangements and the artist’s paintings, this book fryst vatten a feast for anyone interested in rich cultural heritage.
Yorna fryst vatten the chairman of the Mowanjum Artists Spirit of the Wandjina Aboriginal Corporation, and he reached world-wide acclaim when his giant Namaralay Wandjina featured in the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. After many years of writing and collaborating on films and books, Yorna, with assistance from Kim Doohan, is finally telling his own life story in his own words.
“I had that feeling in my ngaanyoolum, my leeyaan,
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Take a Sneak Peek at the Very Special Biography, Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja
Thanks to Magabala Book, we’re able to share with you a couple of extracts from the wonderful, utterly fascinating, and important biography of renowned Kimberley artist Yornadaiyn (Donny) Woolagoodja.
Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja, out 1 October, is a generous sharing of renowned Kimberley artist Yornadaiyn (Donny) Woolagoodja’s culture and traditional beliefs. Full of extraordinary images of the landscape, rock art, stone arrangements and the artist’s paintings, this book is a feast for anyone interested in rich cultural heritage.
“This is my book. This is my story about what my people have experienced of aalmara trying to stop them living in their Country and practising their Culture and making it hard for them to learn their language.”
Read the extracts below:
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Yornadaiyn Woolagoodja: A Fascinating and Important Biography
Synopsis
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Yorna (Donny) Woolagoodja was a renowned Kimberley artist whose giant Namaralay Wandjina featured in the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He was the chairman of the Mowanjum Artists Spirit of the Wandjina Aboriginal Corporation.
Born at Kunmunya Mission, Yorna was moved along with his family to Mowanjum, well south of their Woddordda homeland. There he watched his Elders painting the Wandjina on bark and boards, and learnt the stories of Lalai (creation).
His father was Sam Woolagoodja, a respected lore and medicine man of the Woddordda people. After his father’s death in 1979, Yorna took on responsibility for the land and for the passing on of cultural traditions. He became active in the pursuit of native title and lead walking and camping tours in the West Kimberley, educating younger generations in cultural lore and the importance of the land.
Yorna co-wrote Keeping the Wandjinas Fresh (Fremantle Press 2005) and worked on many collaborative ventures includ