Regional Meeting held in West Arnhem

Injalak ladies wearing Marebu (mat) shirts. Pictured are Sylvia, Anne, Priscilla, Gabriella, Gwenyth, Katra. Photo: Kelvin Wilson.

Gunbalanya’s Injalak Arts and Marrawuddi Gallery in Jabiru had a special visit from the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists on October 5 and 6.
ANKAAA, which is an association which aims to support and advocate for Aboriginal artists in remote art centres across the Top End, visited both Gunbalanya and Jabiru for a two-day event which was a regional meeting for the Darwin/Katherine region and the Arnhem Land region, to elect new board members.
ANKAAA has many meetings throughout the year which aim to bring together artists to discuss issues which are pertinent to themselves and their art centres as well as to all Aboriginal people.
The first day of the meeting was held at Injalak Arts and focused on cultural tourism and allowed some visitors to go and experience one of our rock art tours with local Kunwinjku guides Christina and Roland.
There were a number of talks from art centres successfully undertaking cultural tourism, including Injalak and Djilpin Arts in Beswick, and there were questions and discussion from other art centres which have some cultural tourism opportunities or are beginning to develop cultural tourism.
The second day was held at Marrawuddi Gallery and included a great talk from Victor Cooper, owner of Ayal Aboriginal Tours in Kakadu, who runs a successful business showing tourists his home in Kakadu.
Voting in new board members took place in the afternoon, and resulted in Injalak Arts Chairperson and strong community woman Donna Nadjamerrek being elected to sit on the board.

The Injalak Arts Gunbalanya crew hosted the ANKAAA regional meeting at Injalak Arts on October 5.