Arnhem Weavers Workshop

The Weavers

Mapuru is a flourishing Indigenous Homeland community situated in North East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. By continuing to live on their ancestral land, Mapuru’s 150 Yolngu residents are keeping their ancient cultural traditions alive and strong.

For the past seven years the successful ‘Arnhem Weavers’ cultural tourism program has given non-Yolngu women the opportunity to visit Mapuru to learn traditional basket weaving skills and learn more about Yolngu culture.

As part of the Harmony Festival 2010, three women will make the long journey from Mapuru to the Yarra Valley to share their traditional basket weaving techniques that date back thousands of years.

The Workshop

The Workshop will be held over three days in which participants will learn from the three senior Yolnguu women weavers by watching and making their own basket. Beautiful naturally died pandanus from Arnhem Land and needles will be supplied.

The workshop will be structured as much as possible by Yolnguu ways of collaborating, learning, and the handing on of knowledge. We hope that in this way participants not only come away with a beautiful basket and the techniques of making them, but also an appreciation of the people and places from which these pieces of art and the culture that sustains them have come.

The Story

In 2009, residents of Warburton participated in the Cultural Tourism program of Arnhem Weavers, in Arnhem Land Northern Territory, living with the Mapuru homeland for a number of weeks. They were so enriched and inspired by the experience that they wanted to share some of it with people at home. Since then, they have organised with Arnhem Weavers this fantastic and rare opportunity.

There have been three main principles underlying the workshop.

One, that the workshop recreate as much as possible the experiences of learning weaving on country in Mapuru in accordance with Yolngu law. For this reason, the workshop will be women only.

Two, that the workshop be as accessible as possible. Arnhem Land is a long way from Melbourne and expensive to get to and from. Some additional fundraising has been organised (for events see here) to help subsidise tickets prices. If you would like to support or make a contribution please contact us (weavingworkshop@gmail.com).

To support the Mapuru residents in their efforts to become financially independent through meaningful employment and to creating a welfare-free future for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.