HEATHER KOOWOOTHA | 'Ngak Yangka' | Acrylic paint / binder medium / ochres on linen

"Ngak Yanka is a sacred waterhole south of the Kendall River near Pormpuraaw. The water has healing properties and is a very important place for us Traditional Owners as it was for our Ancestors. This is my Grandmother's place and it's very sacred. You can't go here. It's forbidden for outsiders to visit. My family shared this story with me. This is a women's story. The waterholes are all the families and the big waterhole is our mother. The upside down tree's that are beside the wateholes cannot be touched otherwise a bad storm will come and cause big problems." 

Heather Koowootha is a multi-disciplinary artist working in the mediums of printmaking, sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, and weaving. Born in Cairns, Heather spent parts of her childhood in Aurukun and the “top end” village, learning from her old people. Her father and grandmother were Wik Mungkan, and her Yidinji/Kuganji mother was a Traditional Owner from Yarrabah and Gordenvale. Heather’s works continue to be inspired by their histories and teachings. 

HEATHER KOOWOOTHA | 'Ngak Yangka' | 2021 | Acrylic paint, binder medium and ochres on linen

Details: 153 (h) x 153 (w) cm 

This work comes framed in floating box timber