Arnhemweavers Workshop Information

These workshops are offered to women interested in Yolngu culture where the focus is textiles. The knowledge and skills the participants will be shown by the workshop leaders has been passed down for thousands of years, “it is, as it always has been”. Participants will learn how to collect barks, pandanus and other plants. They will then be shown how to collect and prepare the fibres for dyeing before weaving or spinning.

It is assumed that workshop participants are motivated to engage with, and learn about Yolngu culture and therefore will be keen to learn the traditional skills offered by these women. English is not the first language for these women, but as skilled linguits, speak as many as twenty Yolŋu languages.

In addition there will be opportunities for those interested participants to take part in hunting expeditions, including collecting mud crabs, a variety of shellfish, fish and other game and vegetable staples that Mäpuru residents regularly hunt and collect.

Workshop leaders: Two elderly women who have lived on their  ancestral homeland all their lives, daily they spin and weave articles that they need for themselves, their relatives, for ceremonies and for sale. These sisters have remarkable skill, this is shown by the extent to which they have traveled throughout Australia teaching their skills through workshops at galleries and museums.

These women are expert at utilising a variety of seasonally available materials for their weaving. They use pandanus leaves, roots, and bark for spinning and weaving, as well as a wide selection of roots, leaves and fruits to dye the fibres before spinning and weaving.

These women see this extremely successful project succeeds creating meaningful employment as well as financial independence for themselves and their families, they are striving to create a welfare-free future for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They can only do this on their ancestral estates or home-land.

Location: The workshops are held at Mäpuru. Mäpuru is a home-land situated on the mainland 10 minutes flight south of Elcho Island, North East Arnhem Land. The residents are all Yolngu and connected ancestrally to the area. Mapuru has a permanent population of about 100.

Accommodation: The Mäpuru residents will provide a traditional bark shelter for shade. It is recommended participants bring their own mosquito domes or small tents.

Phones: There are two phones in Mäpuru, one is a public phone, that has a ring up number, ie people can ring directly through to the pay phone number. There is a second phone at the Home-Land Learning Centre. It is a good idea to bring a phone-away card.

Ablutions: There is access to a clean ‘long-drop’ toilet, access to a shower and laundry basin with usually running water, (though we are hoping that another toilet will be built in 2006).

Climate: Mapuru is in the tropics, where the day time temperature is around 30˚C, and a night time temperature of about 24˚C. Rain doesn’t usually fall between May and November but night time temperatures can fall to 18˚ in June.

What to take: food (be prepared to cook over a fire), eating utensils, mosquito net or dome (although there are very few mosquitos, camera, note book, .., .., ..,

Food: Food is not provided. A very basic co-op operates from the Homeland Learning Centre (school), where some canned goods can be purchased through an EFTPOS machine.
No fresh fruit or vegetables are available from the co-op. It is suggested that participants bring non-perishable food such as muesli, noodles, canned fish, vegetables and fruit such as carrots, sweet potato, oranges, etc.

Travel: It is recommended that participants travel by 4 WD to Mäpuru because it is the cheapest transport method and enables participants to take part in excursions from Mäpuru for hunting and gathering, as well as travelling through some beautiful country on the way. For the past 8 years there has only been annual workshops held in mid dry season. In each case John has organised hire cars, permits and acted as guide.

By 4WD vehicle, Mäpuru is a minimum 11 hours drive from Darwin. These are some of the options for road travel;
Option 1. If a vehicle needs to be hired. It is important participants agree before arrival in Darwin to share vehicle hire and fuel costs. If there are eight participants then hire vehicle will be about $200 and fuel about $70 for the week (a return trip in a Toyota troop carrier uses about 450L).
Option 2. If participants have their own 4WD. Other participants agree before arrival in Darwin to contribute to vehicle running and fuel costs. If there are eight participants then hire vehicle will be about $200, and fuel about $70 for the week.

If John is not available to guide participants and so that they do not get lost (which is easy to do), it is recommended that all participants contribute $100 and pay for a Mäpuru community man to fly to Darwin and guide your journey.

Fly to Mäpuru: It is possible to fly to Mäpuru, by charter plane from Darwin the cost is approximately $1,400 one-way for four to five people. By Regular passenger Transport to Elcho Island then charter to Mäpuru the cost is approximately $500 per person one way. Travel to Mäpuru by plane is not recommended, as participants will have no transport while at Mäpuru however it may be an option for individuals who have limited time.

Insurance: The women at Mäpuru are eager that their workshops continue to grow, providing meaningful engagement with Balanda (non-Indigenous people) and income for their families. In an effort to reduce complications and keep the project under their control, the women have no insurance. They do not see that is necessary as they are undertake to only;
• provide workshop tuition
• act as guides when procuring materials, including leaves, bark, roots, etc.

Participation in all activities is encouraged, but if participants decide to involve themselves in weaving activities such as pulling down pandanus leaves, digging dyes, they do so at their own risk.

Permits: Before any travel is undertaken through Arnhemland, ( ie, to Mäpuru), all participants must have a permit. These will be organised for participants through the Northern Land Council.

Intellectual Property: Participants are authorised to make records of workshop activities solely for their own personal use. No publication is authorised unless written permission is granted by Linda Marathuwarr. Participants may be asked to sign an agreement to this affect. While workshop participants are requested not to take cameras, a digital camera will be available at each workshop for all participants to use, images taken shared with all participants.

Workshop Costs: The cost is $150 per day, per person for the five day workshops, and $100 per day for the ten day cycad workshops. This is best brought out as cash as there is no access to banks or automatic teller machines at Mäpuru. Darwin is the closest bank and post office to get cash and the women don’t have access to these services. Just prior to departure all fees are paid direct to Linda Marathuwarr.

Workshop numbers: A minimum number of 5 participants are necessary for the workshops to be offered. So that learning and engagement with the teachers is personal with independent instruction, there is a maximum of 8 participants.

Securing a place in a workshop: A deposit of 50% is required to make sure you have a place. If there are insufficient numbers four weeks before the planned date of travel to run a workshop then the full deposit will be refunded. We suggest that people endeavour to organise their own groups of five to eight with friends and professional associates to ensure the workshop proceeds.

John’s involvement: There is no contract or business agreement with John, he is volunteering his time and while he and the Mapuru women will make every endeavour to ensure the success of each and every workshop there are no absolute guarantees.

Contact: John Greatorex, (08) 89 466 983, email: john.greatorex@cdu.edu.au (Emailed preferred contact).

Post Script: If participants are interested, John is willing to provide a half-day program introducing participants to the language and culture of North East Arnhem Land. John is the Co-ordinator of the Yolngu languages and Culture program at Charles Darwin University.
See: yolngustudies

Last updated 17th June 2009