Muluwurri Museum

The museum will hold everything that belongs to us Tiwi and will stay here forever - it's really important that we share knowledge - for my culture, for me as an artist. I think it's really important to share.

Different artists come from different areas and land, but we all bring the one Tiwi culture to this place to keep it alive so the younger generation of our family can come to this place and see what we left.

- PEDRO WONAEMIRRI

 

The Muluwurri Museum was named after Muluwurri, an ancestor of the Mungatopi family and traditional owner of the Milikapiti area. It is managed by the Jilamara Executive Committee and staff. Established in 1988, the collection is held in trust for the Milikapiti community. 

This important keeping place houses the priceless collection of Tiwi artefacts, carvings, paintings, prints, Baldwin Spencer photographs from the early 1930’s and war medals of ‘The Black Watch’ from the second World War.  

Jilamara Arts Muluwurri Museum Milikapiti Community
Pukumani poles in the Jilamara Arts Muluwurri Museum in Milikapiti Community NT

In 2009 Margi West, formally Emeritus Curator at MAGNT, was commissioned by Jilamara to produce a Significance Assessment of the Muluwurri Museum. This was funded from the National Library of Australia’s Community Heritage Grants.

In 2010 Kim Morris from Art Archival conducted a Preservation Assessment of the collection that was also funded from the National Library of Australia’s Community Heritage Grants. This contained a detailed guideline for Jilamara to ensure the collection was housed and maintained correctly.

Recent handback of historical items from the University of Edinburgh via the National Museum of Australia has highlighted the fact that the existing collection needs to be expanded, and that some traditional items currently housed in the collections of major museums, could be repatriated back to Milikapiti. Long term preservation of the museum collection is a priority for Jilamara Arts and preservation consultants provide ongoing advice on this.

Jilamara needs your support to keep culture strong, develop the skills of our artworkers to learn and expand on professional museum practices and build on the collections acquisitions.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Support us here.