In May 2012 I was commissioned by Warlayirti Artists Aboriginal Corporation to film and photograph weapon and artifact making practices of the elder men of Balgo, one of the most remote communities in Australia. Within one week of my arrival the most senior of them, a legendary Kukatja lawman named Brandy Tjungurrayi passed away and with him a significant well of law and knowledge. Suddenly the scale of the project expanded to include recordings of oral histories, biographies and spiritual stories, "the true story" as elder Mark Moira regarded it pointing directly at my camera, "We need to put these things in the machine here". (Read more)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders please be advised that the following contains images of people
who have died.
7 June, 2012 - Wirrimanu
Wirrimanu Elder Larry Gondura, weapon-making at Men's Camp
25 June, 2012 - Wirrimanu
Wirrimanu Elders Larry and Bonnie weapon making at Men's Camp
25 May, 2012 - Wirrimanu
Brandy Tjungurrayi instructs his nephew Azman in fashioning a spear at Men's Camp. This is the last known photograph of Brandy as he passed away two days later.
5 June, 2012
12 June, 2012 - Desert camp
Elders Greg and Bonnie prepare a bush turkey for dinner
5 June, 2012 - Yagga Yagga Rd.
25 June, 2012 - Wirrimanu
Wirrimanu musician Bumbin at the local cemetary