June (Moonie) Djiagween

June is a strong Yawuru-Bardi Ngarluma-Yindjibarndi woman who expresses her love for country and ancestral dream stories through painting acrylic and ochres on canvas. 

June grew up in Broome, or Rubibi as it is known by Yawaru people. 

“My mum is Yindjibarndi-Ngarluma and my dad is Bardi-Djawi and Yawaru. My mum was a cultural woman, so I’d always end up back out at Warralong and Strelley with the Mardu people. 

At this time, we would go on Country with our grandparents on the back of an old truck. My grandmother and Judith’s grandmother. They are all sisters you see. Very close. They’re Yindjibarndi, Ngarluma and Kariyarra, so I have connections through all those clans. Everyone used to jump on the back of the truck with their swags and the camp dogs.  

My grandfather, Adam Barker, was a Warnman desert man and did traditional carvings; boomerangs, shields, spears. He taught us how to do the little animals like blue tongue, snake and goanna.  

I didn’t end up with that skill, but I watched him and transferred those patterns onto canvas.