B. Marika

This project has been completed. 

B. Marika, 64,  is one of Australia’s national living treasures. She recently received received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Flinders University in April 2018 and said “I accepted this award on behalf of my family and my grand children so they can see this can be their future”. This comment is very much a reflection of the way Banduk thinks and talks.

Banduk and her family’s artworks are represented in almost all of the Australian galleries and internationally.See Buku Larrngay Mulka, Banduk Marika :: The Collection :: Art Gallery NSW,  the Marika Family, National Museum of Australia, Alcheringa Gallery, Nomad Art, Artlink, Flinders University Interview about her famous print Djanda and the Sacred Waterhole, Art Gallery of South Australia, Charles Darwin University. Banduk's father, uncles, brothers and sisters are one of Australia's first families of land rights through their intimate involvement with the famous Millpurum vs Nabalco court case and the even more famous bark petition and Yirrkala church panels.

Despite all her recognition, Banduk lives modestly, looking after her many family members, at Yirrkala in North East Arnhem land.  

For the past fifteen years Banduk has thrown her energy into many projects but one project is dear to her heart, the {un[u\gurr Nursery. The nursery was founded by Banduk in the early 2000s to create native plants and bush food for mining rehabilitation of lands and to provide plants for the people of Yirrkala and Nhulunbuy. Banduk’s concept was to create a place where art and land came together. It could be a place to collect barks and artifacts for artworks but also bush foods. Banduk perfected the cultivation of many native plants a long time ago, for example Näṉ’ka-bakarra or kakadu plum, one of the best known native foods, has been available through {un[u\gurr well before it was known as a “super food”. The nursery has been threatened with closure on many occasions but Banduk always keeps it alive. 

Being a national treasure does not help you to find the means to make ends meet in many Aboriginal communities. The problem is that there is no flowing capital through Aboriginal communities that sticks to community members or community projects. Usually projects operate through government grants or one off funding. It is very important to build up sufficient infrastructure that is sustainable. 

The purpose of this revenue raising exercise is to purchase a troopy for Banduk’s personal use but also for {un[u\gurr and art, food and plant gathering activities. The goal is to purchase a 2007 Toyota Landcruiser for around $35,000 to fit it out with a roof rack and ladder and proper bull bars $5000 and to provide a maintenance deposit of $5000 to ensure the car is regularly serviced and maintained over the next five years.

So the target of the campaign is $40,000.