Minyerri

After Alawa woman Samara Billy attended a Magpie Goose fashion show in Katherine NT, she said - "I want to see Minyerri community designs out there in the world, and up there on the catwalk! I want opportunities for our artists." And so the Minyerri collection was born! A textile design workshop in April 2018 engaging six emerging Minyerri artists; an expedited production process; a return to Minyerri, Alawa country in June 2019 for a community photoshoot; and a Darwin launch and popup a few weeks later!

This collection teaches us about eating the stem of the lily pad just like celery (Yalbun + Jo jo); poisoning the water with a native tree to catch the most delicious fish around (Garrjala); the Goanna totem (Darbalun'); grinding the seeds of the lily pad to make flour, then patties (Yalbun); the traditional bush tools that Aboriginal people on Alawa country used to use to hunt, make babies strong, and carry bush food (Bush Tools); and the delicious crayfish that you can catch in the salty and fresh water rivers around Minyerri! (Dakawa’).