Tom Djäwa

Tom Djäwa (a.k.a Djäwa Daygurrgurr) (born 1905 – March 23, 1980)[1] was an Aboriginal Australian master painter and had created many works such as Murayana.[2] Djäwa worked with bark painting and made wood sculptures as an expression of his art for over 30 years. As a result, many of his works are held in museums and private collections all over the globe.[1]

Biography

Djäwa was the son of Narritjnarritj[2] and Djambarrpuygu. He was the grandson of Walamangu.[1] Djäwa was born on an island called Milingimbi in Central Arnhem Land, Australia.[1] Djäwa is classified in the Yirritja moiety.[3] When Djäwa was young, he lived on Elcho Island before the Macassans had arrived on the island. A Macassan man by the name Captain Dg Gassing renamed him as Mangalay with his uncle as his witness. Djäwa compared this event to a baptism.[4]

Career

Djäwa was a ceremonial leader for his clan called the Daygurrgurr and his language was Gupapuynu.[3] He was also the leader for all of the Gapapuyngu clans.[5]

He received this leadership role at the beginning of the 1950s.[1] As a ceremonial leader, he had the power to determine what would be crafted in the camps he was in charge of.[6] Due to Djäwa's influential position, he tried to get other clan leaders to come to Milingimbi. He hoped that through their engagement in "cultural activities" he would solidify his position as a leader.[6] He continued in his role as a leader for the Yolngu people at Milingimbi for approximately 30 years before he died.[7]

Djäwa was good friends with Reverend Edgar Wells, a mission superintendent from 1949. They would spend a great deal of time together looking over works of art and discussing them at Wells' mission house.[6] Wells' wife, Ann E. Wells, mentioned that the art became a "channel of understanding" between the Milingimbi artists and Edgar Wells.[8] Djäwa and Wells worked closely together until Djäwa's death.[9]

Djäwa appeared in two film documentaries by Cecil Holmes called Faces in the sun and Djalambu in 1963 and 1964.[1][2] In the documentary Djalambu, Djäwa conducted a re-enactment his father's Djalumbu ceremony.[7]

Djäwa was drawn to the musical side of the arts as well. He recorded songs with Alice Moyle, an ethnomusicologist.[3] He was also featured in part of the song Moikoi Song where he had played the clapsticks. It was recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes who was a part of the Milingimbi Mission in 1962 and featured on the Voyager Golden Record.[10]

Dancing for Queen Elizabeth II

In 1954, Djäwa and six other men had gone to Toowoomba to perform a ceremonial dance for the queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Duke of Edinburgh.[2] According to Ann Wells, the wife of Edgar Wells, Djäwa had seen this event as "...a treasured and instructive journey into a new world."[2]

Collections

Some of Djäwa's works are displayed in these museums collections:

  • National Gallery of Victoria[11]
  • National Museum of Australia[3]
  • Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia[3]
  • Art Gallery of New South Wales (Art Gallery NSW)[12]

Exhibitions
  • The classic period: Arnhem Land barks from the 1960s–2000s, Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Waterloo, 5 March 2013 – 30 March 2013[13][14]
  • Art from Milingimbi: taking memories back, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 12 November 2016 - 29 January 2017[13][15]

References
  1. "Tom Djawa :: The Collection :: Art Gallery NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. Strings of connectedness : essays in honour of Ian Keen. Ian Keen, Peter Gerald Toner. Acton, A.C.T. 2015. ISBN 978-1-925022-63-6. OCLC 909022883.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. corporateName=National Museum of Australia; address=Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. "National Museum of Australia – Tom Djäwa". www.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 19 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. Ganter, Regina (2018). The contest for Aboriginal souls : European missionary agendas in Australia. Australian National University Press, Aboriginal History Inc. Acton, A.C.T. p. 261. ISBN 978-1-76046-205-5. OCLC 1037299354.
  5. Gaykamangu, Waymamba (August 2017). "Tribute to my Wawa, Dr. Gumbula" (PDF). Arts Backbone. 16 & Vol 17: 47.
  6. Pinchbeck, Cara (2016). Art from Milingimbi : taking memories back. Lindy Allen, Louise Hamby, Art Gallery of New South Wales. Sydney, N.S.W. pp. 14–15, 30, 35. ISBN 978-1-74174-128-5. OCLC 957155506.
  7. Oh boy! : masculinities and popular music. Freya Jarman-Ivens. New York. 2007. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-135-86661-7. OCLC 859536283.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. Wells, Ann E. (1963). Milingimbi: Ten Years in the Crocodile Islands of Arnhem Land. Angus and Robertson. p. 136.
  9. Mundine, Djon (1996). The Native Born: Object and Representations of Ramingining, Arnhem Land. Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney (July 1, 2000). p. 62. ISBN 1875632441.
  10. Morrison, David; Samz, Jane (1980). Voyage to Jupiter (PDF). Washington, D.C.: NASA Scientific and Technical Information. p. 29. LCCN 80-600126.
  11. "Artists | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  12. "Works by Tom Djawa | Art Gallery of NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  13. "Birrkulda ceremony, circa 1960 by Tom Djawa". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  14. "Works shown in the exhibition "The classic period: Arnhem Land barks from the 1960s–2000s" | Art Gallery of NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  15. "Works shown in the exhibition "Art from Milingimbi: taking memories back" | Art Gallery of NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 29 April 2021.

Further reading
  • Mundine, Djon (1996). The Native Born: Object and Representations of Ramingining, Arnhem Land. Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney (July 1, 2000) ISBN 1875632441
  • Pinchbeck, Cara (2016). Art from Milingimbi: taking memories back. Lindy Allen, Louise Hamby, Art Gallery of New South Wales. Sydney, N.S.W. ISBN 978-1-74174-128-5
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