support their journey. share the story.
Can you imagine leaving your remote community, driving nearly 10 hours just to reach an airport, then flying halfway across the world - with two stopovers - to land in a place where you don’t speak the language, just to tell the story of your ancestors? That’s the journey Janette and Shania will take this month, carrying the spirit of Numbulwar with them.
But they can’t do it without your help. Please donate $50 today, it is fully tax-deductible.
“I saw that photo of a manba (armband) and I thought, I want to learn how to make that. And then other ladies at the art centre said they want to know how to make it too. That manba is in the Netherlands, I have to go and see it” - Janette Murrungun.
Our two master weavers - grandmother and granddaughter - are finally heading to Europe, a landmark opportunity to promote the art of our region, reclaim cultural heritage, and forge new pathways for our Art Centre.
Meet Janette and Shania.
Janette Murrungun weaves strength, culture, and care into every thread. Her homeland is Rocky Point near Numbulwar, and as the daughter of Mawungumain Nundhirribala, she proudly carries forward sacred knowledge.
Today, Janette is a master weaver, harvesting Maguj (pandanus) and collecting Nanja (ghost nets) to create works that honour both tradition and Country.
As an artist, arts worker, and board member of Numbulwar Numburindi Arts, she leads with heart - ensuring cultural knowledge, skills, and community wellbeing are passed on to the next generations.
Shania Wurramara is a young artist born and raised in Numbulwar. The strong women of her family taught her to weave and entrusted her with this treasured knowledge. This year, she made her debut as an arts worker at the Art Centre.
As part of the Mingalanji Day (Young Girls’ Day) initiative, Shania encourages young artists to participate in Art Centre life, teaching them weaving with pandanus and ghost nets, alongside the old ladies.
Supporting them on this journey is Dr Louise Hamby, an Arnhem Land weaving expert and long-time collaborator, who has spent time in Numbulwar learning from Janette, Shania, and their connection to Country.
Together, they will fly across Europe, to reconnect with ancient cultural artefacts in museums and participate in an international conference to share the story of Numbulwar and its cultural and environmental challenges.
As it is an expensive journey to Europe, Janette and Shania need your help to get there! Please donate $50 today and help fund the journey of a lifetime. It is fully tax-deductible!
With your support they will share their story and art with an international audience at the renowned conference at the European Society for Oceanists in Switzerland. They will teach how to weave to European people at Fondation Opale in Switzerland, sharing about Country, their knowledge and culture firsthand. They wiil build meaningful connections with galleries and institutions to create new opportunities for Numbulwar artists.
In the Netherlands, they will visit the Wereldmuseum to see rare objects from Numbulwar—woven armbands, wooden sculptures, dilly bags, and yirr—many of which haven’t been seen by the community in generations. These ancestral items, held overseas for decades, may one day come home as part of the global movement to decolonise museum collections, or at least this is the wish of Janette and Shania. In 2017, the return of 450 photographs taken in 1964 by Dutch anthropologist Van der Leeden brought deep emotion and recognition to Numbulwar. Can you imagine the power of reuniting with objects made by the hands of their elders?
Support their journey.
share the story.
'' It is fabulous — every day at the art centre, I witness a transmission of knowledge that has no limits. The culture and intergenerational vibrancy of Numbulwar artists never ceases to amaze me. This journey to Europe is the first step toward the wider world’s recognition of Numbulwar’s extraordinary culture!’
- Adelaide Keraldy, Art Centre Manager