NAIDOC – Yukultji Napangati: the girl who made her world shimmer

06/29/22 • 15 min

Yukultji Napangati grew up with no contact with the outside world. Just her and her family, living on a shimmery salt lake. She learned how to live on Country, how to find food, water, and shelter. She was a particularly great hunter. When she turned 14, everything changed. She saw her first other humans, and saw a car for the first time. She had been brought to live with other people from her mob, and here she found out she was really good at something else too, painting. It used to be men’s only business, but by the time Yukultji picked up her first paintbrush, it was something women in her community would do too.

Her stroke was unique. It was special. It made her work shimmer just like the salt lake she grew up on. And her paintings now hang on the walls of some of the most famous people in the world.

Narrated by artist Atong Atem.

Her stroke was unique. It was special. It made her work shimmer just like the salt lake she grew up on. And her paintings now hang on the walls of some of the most famous people in the world.

Narrated by artist Atong Atem.

Previous Episode

NAIDOC - Queenie McKenzie: the girl who became a living treasure

Queenie McKenzie grew up on a cattle station, staying away from the grasps of the authorities, who would take Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids like her from their families at will. As she grew up, she solved problems everywhere she saw them. From building schools and teaching kids in her community, to saving a man’s life by repairing his scalp stitch by stitch. But deep down, she wanted to tell the stories of her Country. To preserve their importance. She started painting in her 70s — becoming the first woman in her community to do so — and realised the power of telling stories through art. And once she started, she never stopped. Narrated by Wiradjuri poet and artist Jazz Money.

Next Episode

NAIDOC – Faith Thomas: the girl who became the first indigenous person to play cricket for Australia

Faith Thomas grew up throwing rocks at galahs. She'd only been playing proper cricket for a couple of weeks before she was picked to represent South Australia. Her phenomenal stats made headlines. So, it was no great surprise when Faith got called up to represent Australia against England in Brisbane.

When she stepped onto the Gabba cricket ground, she became the first Aboriginal person to play on any Australian team... not just cricket. But cricket was just a game to Faith. So, not long after that test, she left sport behind to dedicate herself to saving lives as a nurse.

Narrated by cricketer and Muruwari woman, Ashleigh Gardner.

Extra narration by Peggy Webber. Thanks to Daniel Browning and Tyson Baird.