Renown Aboriginal artist, Jandamarra Cadd, shares the ancestral inspiration behind his incredible paintings, and invites us to look beyond the dots into the depth of the space between and the essence of reality.

Jandamarra’s unique style of combining traditional Aboriginal dot painting with more contemporary portraiture creates a much-needed link between ancient knowledge and mainstream modern society.

Click onto Blog page for links to more of Jandamarra’s story and his phenomenal art, and also for links to Amy’s work and Winton’s Instagram site (mentioned at the end of our talk).

Two little boys dancing for the first time on country at Buddabadoo in Far North Queensland are joined by the spirits of their ancestral 'Popeyes' (grandfathers). 
Aboriginal Elder, Aunty Lauraine Barlow shares this beautiful mystical experience with us.
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Aunty Lauraine explains that ’Country’ is "the land, the animals, the place, the water, the sea, the people – it’s all that in one; and it’s knowing that you fit in there".

Ever felt a strong urge to ‘go bush’, hit the surf, climb a mountain, or just sit by a river?

Respected Aboriginal Elder, Aunty Lauraine Barlow, explains how she can hear Country call and welcome her, and that Country can also tell one when it’s time to go away again to carry on life’s purpose.

Aunty Lauraine also tells us how ‘half-blood’ children were taken from their families and forced to live in the segregated dormitory system at Yarrabah Anglican mission, and how copious files were kept on all Aboriginal people documenting their every move.

Over 35 years ago, Dr John Bradley took up a teaching position at Borroloola in the Northern Territory, at a time when Yanyuwa children were flogged for speaking their own language at school.  Defying policy, John encouraged his pupils to speak in their native tongue and he, in turn, gradually learned the Yanyuwa language from the Elders.

​Don’t keep history a mystery - come with us and explore some of the real history of Australia as John talks about the commentary around songs and stories, and shares tantalising snippets of his vast knowledge about the timeless nature of songlines as taught to him by the Yanyuwa people.

How is it that oral cultures, that didn't rely on writing, could memorise and accurately hand down vast amounts of information and knowledge for millennia?

Garminungeena, Jenny Thompson, talks about the importance and sacredness of song in Aboriginal culture; and demonstrates how deep emotions expressed through mournful wailing and singing, and the practice of deep listening to others and to Nature, can help in healing personal and planetary pain.

​Garmi concludes the final part of her podcast with a message from the heart that it is time for all of us to "weave in a new Dreaming".

In this part 3 (of 4) of Garminungeena, Jenny Thompson’s chat with me, Garmi recounts the traditional Dreaming story of Nungeena, and discusses how healing groundwaters underlie some song- and ley lines.
We also discuss the connection to land, and how the individual energy or spirit of a place can be felt even if you’ve never been there before.

In this part 2 (of 4), Garminungeena, Jenny Thompson, tells us about the land acquisition for the Nungeena Aboriginal Corporation, and talks about the importance of women’s business and family. 
Garmi also recounts the Dreaming story of three of the sacred mountains now known as the Glass House Mountains, and talks about the Seven Sisters songline.

Respected Aboriginal Elder, Garminuneenga, Jenny Thompson, descends from the Wakka Wakka people in Queensland.

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In this incredible first episode, Dr Lynne Kelly discusses how oral (non-literate) societies used songs, stories and other memory aids to pass down vast amounts of knowledge and information necessary for the survival of their culture over many millennia.