Lander Riverby Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra

Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra was born in 1955 at Aningie Station in Central Australia. He is the son of Minnie Napanangka (sadly deceased) a traditional Warlpiri woman and Gerry Maloney, an Irish stockman. As a young child Malcolm lived a relatively traditional Aboriginal way of life spending time on country and travelling the land on walkabout with his mother and family.

Sadly as part of the “Aboriginal Assimilation Program” of the time whereby all Aboriginal children who were deemed fairer skin were forcibly removed from their families and placed into “white” environments to be assimilated. Malcolm’s mother would often hide him whenever patrols of government officials would visit. At age six Malcolm was discovered on one of these patrols and removed from his family. He was taken to Adelaide where he spent the next eighteen years of his life.

He matriculated from Adelaide Boys High School in 1972. In 1975 he started a career as a professional footballer for North Adelaide, and this would last 10 years and earned him a place in the publication “200 Unsung Heroes and Heroines of Australian History”.

In 1978 Malcolm returned to Alice Springs in Central Australia and was finally reunited with his family for the first time since 1960. His family predominantly come from Willowra Community however he also has strong ties to Yuendumu and Yuelamu (Mount Allen). In 1983 Malcolm underwent the traditional Warlpiri manhood initiation and ceremonies that he missed as a boy. With this he was then taught the secret songs, dances and stories of his Warlpiri tribe. Malcolm describes himself as a Lander River Warlpiri.

In 1985 after watching the Aboriginal art movement for two decades Malcolm made his first attempts at his own interpretations of his Dreaming stories. After what he describes as a “moment of desperation” his uncle Willie Reilly Japanangka took him under his wing and supported him to explore his artistic talent. Willie Reilly was one of the first people to start painting in Willowra Community. His initiation allowed him to depict the following stories; Fire (Jardiwanpa), Water (Ngapa), Goanna (Wardapi), Snake (Warna), Milky Way (Wulyparrari), Green Snake (Yarriprir), Budgerigar (Ngatjirri), Seven Sisters (Napaltjarri-Warna), Rock Kangaroo (Marlu), Frog (Purruparnta), Tree Witchety Grub (Ngarlkirdi), Bush Tomato *Wanakji & Yakajirri), Bush Potato (Yarla), Bush Lantana (Marnakji), Bush Beans (Marlpa) and Rock Wallaby (Pirli Ngawurrpa). His art evolved from his tribe’s ceremonies, songs and stories. Traditionally Aboriginal paintings were daubed on the ground and on the bodies of people and were therefore not preserved. However given the introduction of acrylic paints and canvas this ancient form of storytelling is now able to be preserved and shared. Malcolm shares “It has given everyone a chance to learn about Aboriginal Dreamings”...”Our art reflects not just the land but its mythology, song and dance” (Jagamarra).

Malcolm was one of the first Aboriginal artists to begin to use oils on his paintings and he is the leader in his style. He is considered to be one of the most talented and dynamic Aboriginal artists and has been instrumental in forging new directions for traditional artists. In the 1990’s he held several art residences throughout Australia and overseas including in 1992 for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, in 1993 Mendelson Gallery in USA, Club Med, Rebecca Hossack Gallery in London. In 1994 Global Colours in Sydney and in 1995 Youth Theatre in Brisbane His story and artworks have had extensive media coverage on Australian and American TV, radio and newspaper.

He has also been involved in corporate designs for major corporations including Kellogs Australia, Hardy Wines, Duty Free Shoppers, and Responsible Drinking Campaign for the Northern Territory Government as well as Sand-scapes in America. In 1993 he was commissioned by Telcom Australia to create the paintings that would appear on a series of phone cards in celebration of the UN Year of the World’s Indigenous People.

In 1994 Malcolm was publicly recognised for painting a cello for the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. He also designed the highly recognisable logo for Central Art – Aboriginal Art Store and I (Sabine Haider, Director of Central Art) have shared a very close relationship with Malcolm of many years. In 2008 I spent six months with Malcolm and his wife Narelle collating a series of important audio interviews on his life and art.

In 2009 Malcolm suffered a stroke, but miraculously pushed through difficult boundaries, and in 2015 started to paint again. A master in his own right. 

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