Mawalan Marika

Mawalan Marika (c.1908–1967), often referred to as Mawalan 1 Marika to distinguish from Mawalan 2 Marika, was an Aboriginal Australian artist and the leader of the Rirratjingu clan of the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. He is known for his bark paintings, carvings and political activism. Mawalan Marika, as one of the early leaders of the Yirrkala bark painting movement, played a critical role in using art both as a means of cultural expression and as a political tool to assert Yolŋu land rights.