Nakarra, Mingmarriya, Oakes, Garagarag

Place: Texas Downs

Death: 1998

Biography:

Queenie McKenzie (Nakarra) was an Aboriginal Australian artist born on Old Texas Station, on the western bank of the Ord River in the East Kimberley. She was a strong Gija woman from the East Kimberley and her unyielding connection to her Country and culture was celebrated in the bold ochre paintings she created, depicting the mountains and rivers of her homelands. McKenzie began her artistic explorations drawing designs emulating the ceremonial body painting used in women’s business and later by embracing illustration as a way of teaching the children in her community. She spent her life living and working in the Texas Downs area, at Texas Downs Station in her early days and then Warmun (Turkey Creek). A staunch member of her community, she negotiated protections for sacred women’s sites at the Argyle diamond mine and ensured women’s business continued. Throughout her life, her main focus was ensuring future generations were engaged in their culture and language. Picking up a paintbrush in her later years, McKenzie was a prolific painter, confidently sharing her admiration for the geographical features that make up the East Kimberley landscape, including the tremendous Ord River and Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles). For as many years as she was able, McKenzie gathered her own ochres, which she would then mix into a variety of colours, creating her favourite palette of pinks and browns. McKenzie was a close friend to artist Rover Thomas. Much like Thomas, McKenzie’s work focused on depictions of her Country, though in some works she shared insight into the social issues her community were grappling with, including alcoholism and the recent history of massacres.