Sculpture | Black cockatoo carving by Thomas Munkano | Ngaruwanajirri Inc

This wonderful black cockatoo sculpture was carved and painted by Ngaruwanajirri artist Thomas Munkano. Thomas began carving in the late 1980s alongside respected Tiwi carvers, and his work closely follows traditional Tiwi style. Carved cockatoos and pelicans are his facourite subject matter,T homas says, “I learnt from the old people… I’d like my children to learn from me and carry on carving.”

Ngaruwanajirri, meaning “helping one another” in the Tiwi language, is an Aboriginal art centre in Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island in the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory. Established in 1994, it supports Tiwi artists, many of whom live with disability, to create and share their work in a safe, inclusive and culturally strong environment.

Ngaruwanajirri artists work across ochre painting, lino printing, silk batik, etching and wood carving. Each piece reflects Tiwi visual language and traditions, telling stories of Country, ceremony and community, and helping sustain a creative space in one of Australia’s remote island communities.

Details:
34.5cm tall
Material: ironwood carving and natural ochres