Debra Nangala McDonald, a Pintupi artist born in Papunya in 1963, comes from a renowned family of artists including her mother Martha McDonald, and her aunties Linda Syddick Napaltjarri and Wendy Napaltjarri. Their artistic lineage is steeped in the rich stories of their migration across the Gibson Desert to settle in Haasts Bluff, Papunya, and Mt Liebig during the 1940s.
Debra's maternal grandfather, Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi (c.1920-1987), was a prominent figure at Papunya during the 1970s and 1980s, pivotal in the establishment of the Papunya Tula art Co-operative in 1972. This cooperative, renowned for pioneering the Western Desert Art Movement or "dot painting," brought global attention to Aboriginal art, inspiring countless artists and styles.
Debra's maternal grandfather, Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi (c.1920-1987), was a prominent figure at Papunya during the 1970s and 1980s, pivotal in the establishment of the Papunya Tula art Co-operative in 1972. This cooperative, renowned for pioneering the Western Desert Art Movement or "dot painting," brought global attention to Aboriginal art, inspiring countless artists and styles.
Today, Debra draws much of her painting inspiration from Shorty's legacy. Her collaboration with ORTC resulted in three unique artworks, initially hand-painted by Debra and then transformed into digital pattern swatches for swim shorts. In conjunction with the release of these shorts, we have partnered with The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF).
All profits from the sales will be donated to ALNF, supporting Indigenous communities and promoting awareness. We have a newfound understanding that in Australia, First Languages are disappearing at a faster rate (specifically having recently worked closely with Debra) even though language, literacy and numeracy plays a vital role in the health, wellbeing, education and future of Indigenous Australians. By partnering with the ALNF we hope to shed more light on the importance of preserving and fostering Indigenous languages in Australia and beyond, as well as giving back to the foundation who endeavours daily to do just that.
All profits from the sales will be donated to ALNF, supporting Indigenous communities and promoting awareness. We have a newfound understanding that in Australia, First Languages are disappearing at a faster rate (specifically having recently worked closely with Debra) even though language, literacy and numeracy plays a vital role in the health, wellbeing, education and future of Indigenous Australians. By partnering with the ALNF we hope to shed more light on the importance of preserving and fostering Indigenous languages in Australia and beyond, as well as giving back to the foundation who endeavours daily to do just that.
For more information on the ALNF & NAIDOC Week can be found below
https://www.naidoc.org.au/
https://alnf.org/
https://www.naidoc.org.au/
https://alnf.org/
