2021, Australia, 53' ֍ Dir. Tim Mummery
English (Turkish subtitles)
The documentary "Namarali" follows artist Donny (Yorna) Woolagoodja's quest to revive the cultural heritage of his ancestors. With the absence of Yorna's people, the wandjina, the creative beings who adorn caves throughout the Kimberley in Western Australia, are on the brink of extinction. After one of Yorna’s designs are exhibited at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Yorna decides to visit the Wandjina big boss Namarali in his cave and restore him to his full glory by repainting his image with fresh ocher. This decision represents Yorna’s personal response to a dilemma faced by many community leaders: whether to bring a sacred culture to the attention of the world, or allow it to fade into obscurity. Tim Mummery’s documentary bears witness to the radical action of a community determined to bring their gods “back to life'.
Tim Mummery is an independent director, cinematographer, editor and video producer working across the documentary, news and feature mediums. He has won Australia’s Quill Award for his on-line video content and been nominated twice for the prestigious Walkleys award for excellence in journalism. His documentary Namarali represents a 20-year collaboration with senior knowledge keeper Yorna Woolagoodja (2021 Red Ochre lifetime achievement award). Namarali has been screened at international festivals and in 2024 it received the Best Ethnographic Film award at the Orion International Film Festival in Australia.
