26-135 – Marissa Riley

“The women and men would gather at these waterholes. The snake, he is the creator and protector of our waterways and rockholes. It’s about upholding law. Every time we visit waterholes and rockholes we’ve got to pay our respect. We throw the burna (hot sand from a fire) to pay our respect. He smells us, he knows we are there.”

– Marissa Riley

Marissa Riley is a Nharnu Wajarri woman who grew up in Yulga Jinna Community and actively advocates for her community to this day. Here, she lived with her mum, dad and grandparents. Marissa attended remote schooling (School of the Air) as well as schooling in the regional town of Meekatharra. Currently she is living in Newman. Marissa recalls learning to paint with her aunty and nana when she was 10 years old. She paints about her country, dreaming stories, animals, and community life.

Yulga Jinna is a self-managed community located about 130kms north outside of the remote Mid-West town of Meekatharra. The name of the community, Yulga Jinna, means ‘Flat Foot’ in Wajarri. The community is located near to the Robinson Ranges in the Gascoyne-Murchison region, spanning between the Indian Ocean inland all the way to the Great Sandy Desert.