Didgeridoo | D-050

DOB: c.1936

Birthplace: Brandy Bottle Creek, NT

Language: Wardaman

Skin name: Yidumduma

Community: Menngen, NT



Yidumduma Bill Harney is acclaimed globally for his exceptional contributions across various artistic disciplines. He is a Master Storyteller, Songman, Didgeridoo Player/Maker, Painter, and Writer. All his artistic endeavors are deeply rooted in the celebration of his Wardaman Aboriginal heritage and his remarkable ability to bridge cultural divides, thereby conveying the essence of his culture to an international audience.

Bill paints both with acrylics on canvas and ochres on bark, telling stories he learned as a youngster and as a young man. He is the custodian of the Lightning Brothers Dreaming site. He paints the Milky Way and the stories associated with Mardborronggo, the creator of stars and the Earth. His artistry is profoundly influenced by his upbringing, integrating songs, stories, and paintings learned from his ancestors during Dreamtime. Recognized as one of “Australia’s living national treasures”, his knowledge has been praised by anthropologists for its encyclopedic breadth.

Harney began painting at an early age and gained formal recognition in the global art arena in 1988. He has been a finalist for nineteen consecutive years in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Art Awards, with works displayed worldwide, including in the National Gallery of Australia, the Federal Parliament, and the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. In October 2008, he presented a masterwork to the University of Sydney’s Law Faculty.