Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi

Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi (1942–2020) was an internationally acclaimed Aboriginal Australian artist from Elcho Island (Galiwin'ku), an island off the coast of Northeast Arnhem Land. Gali was a Yolngu Mala leader and Gälpu clan representative, a clan group of the Dhuwa moiety, as well as a prominent member of the Galiwin'ku Uniting Church. He was best known for his Morning Star poles which have been featured in international exhibitions in London and the United States and for his unique melding of traditional Yolngu beliefs and Christian theology.

Life Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi was born in 1942 (exact date is unknown) on Milingimbi Island where his family had been relocated during World War II. After the war ended, Gali and his family moved to the newly-established Methodist mission on Elcho Island. Growing up on a Methodist mission, Gali was also heavily exposed to the doctrines of Christianity, and regularly attended church.

Career Since inheriting the knowledge of the Banumbirr tradition from his father, Gali was a prolific producer of Morning Star poles which he sold and exhibited. As a Galpu clan leader, senior ritual specialist, and Morning Star Dancer, Gali held a particular authority within his community, responsible for teaching portions of the Morning Star tradition to his relatives and preserving the Yolngu culture.

In 2011, Gali was awarded the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award at the 28th National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. He was a finalist in these prestigious awards eight times (1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009 and 2011). In 2015, Gali received national news coverage when he traveled 3000 kilometers to perform the traditional Lunggurrma dance with his granddaughter Sasha at her year 10 graduation. Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College Monash University Museum of Art Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory National Gallery of Australia National Gallery of Victoria

Significant exhibitions

1996-2003: The Native Born: Objects and Representations from Ramingining, Arnhem Land. Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, NSW, 24 April –21 August 1996; Sprengel Museum Hannover, Germany, 8 July–9 September 2001; Palacio de Velázquez, Madrid, Spain, 31 January–31 March 2002; Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil, 30 June–11 August 2002; Asia Society Museum, New York, USA, 9 September 2002 – 5 January 2003; Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, Taiwan, 17 February–20 April 2003. 2009: Floating Life: Contemporary Aboriginal Fibre Art. Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD, 1 August 2009 – 18 October 2009. 2012-2013: Crossing Cultures: The Owen and Wagner Collection of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian Art. Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 15 September 2012 – 10 March 2013; Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH, 11 April – 14 July 2013.