Mick Jawalji was born at Yulumbu, in western Gija country, around 1920, just before the establishment of Tableland cattle station. Yulumbu is the Gija name for the place where the Tableland station airstrip lies. Jawalji is the senior traditional owner of the Bangurr region of Western Gija country. Bangurr is the name of the huge flat topped hill, on the way to the Tableland homestead. Bangurr is known as Black Person Hill in English. Jawalji’s father was one of the main workers who built the Tableland station homestead. Jawalji grew up on Yulumbu and learnt stockwork. Like most old Aboriginal people in the Kimberley he worked with cattle, mustering and droving. As well as being headstockman, he was a renowned horsebreaker. Jawalji and his stockmen drove cattle from Tableland to the Glenroy meatworks and as far away as Derby and Wyndham. While he was living and working in his country, Jawalji learnt about all the places in that country. He learnt the stories of these places and the meanings of the rock paintings found there. Each wet season he and his people would meet to pratice law, sometimes walking as far as Mt House station. This helped maintain their country and culture.
Jawalji also spent a number of years working on Mornington, a station west of Yulumbu. He lived with the Andayin people and learnt Andayin law and culture from his stepfather and mother. Source: Short Street Gallery Broome.
Exhibited
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) show ‘Traversing Borders’ Art from the Kimberley’ 30th November 2013 – 2nd March 2014Mick Jawalji