Barramundi | Manuel Pamkal

Aboriginal name: Wurlumbulnga

Moiety: Yirritja

Skin name: Godjok

Language: Dalabon, Kriol, English

Totem: Rufous Wallaby (wurlala)


Manuel Pamkal was born around 1963, in the bush at Banatjarl near the King River southeast of Katherine. This is where he spent most of his early childhood before moving to Bamyili (Barunga) with his family.

As Manuel spent the first few years of his life growing traditionally out bush, there is no official record of his date of birth. His driver’s license says he was born on 05/07/1963, as they needed a date, and his passport reads 00/00/1966.

Manuel attended school for only one day, the reason being that Manuel was told by his cousin that to stay in school, he would have to speak English. Manuel felt ashamed as he could not speak any, so he went back out bush and never attended school again.

Manuel first learned to speak English when he started work at the Barunga school as a groundsman when he was about 25, teaching the white workers his language in exchange.

When he was around 15, his father taught him the traditional way to do bark painting, teaching him how to harvest and burn the stringy bark, how to straighten it with cross sticks and how to make it ready for painting. He also taught him how to find and use traditional pigments from the bush; white clay (bam); red ochre (mariner); yellow ochre (glide), and black charcoal (jardij). Manuel’s father also used to tell him dreamtime stories about what happened a long time ago when all the animals were human.

Nowadays, Manuel is telling these same stories to his sons and nephews because he believes strongly that the culture must be kept alive and passed on to the next generations. He is also teaching the young people traditional painting techniques, just as his father once taught him.

Manuel has been painting for approximately 45 years, working on didgeridoos, bark paintings and canvas, using both traditional pigments and acrylics. He has sold numerous paintings to tourists and visitors from all over the world. His work is in high demand, and he frequently gets commissioned for special pieces. Manuel has also had numerous appearances on television, including Australian Story and The Today Show.