Anwernakey
About Us
Project Leaders
Martin Hagan
Martin is an Anmatyerr man from the Laramba Community with years of experience as a facilitator, translator and interpreter across diverse industries and fields. He is currently a Research Assistant with Deakin University where he coordinates the Ingkantety project with the community and develops transcripts and translations of Anmatyerr language and song. He is working on a book with Jason Gibson and the Laramba community with the working title of “Songmen of the 21st Century: Making A Cultural Future for Anmatyerr People”. Martin belongs to the Anengkerr Rrwamper (Possum Dreaming) through his mother’s father’s country and to the Anengkerr Atetherr (Budgerigar Dreaming) via his father’s adoption.
Michael Pengart Tommy
Michael is a senior ceremonial leader amongst the Anmatyerr people. Michael was born in 1959 at Mer Kerlpaty on Coniston Station, near to his mother’s country at Arrwek and inherited owner responsibilities for the estate of Ulem from his father (Kwepatart ‘Tommy’ Penangk) and grandfather (Welyar Pengart). Michael has been a key support of the Ingkantety project, encouraging younger men to learn the different designs, songs, and performances from him. He is one of the few Anmatyerr elders to have detailed knowledge of song and ceremony from across the Anmatyerr region.
Jason Gibson
Jason is an anthropologist who has worked with the Anmatyerr community since 2005. His first book Ceremony Men: Making Ethnography and the Return of the Strehlow Collection (SUNY Press, 2020) demonstrated the agency of Anmatyerr men in making the of an anthropological collection and their continued deep knowledge of Anmatyerr song, story, and ceremonial Law. Jason has recorded Anmatyerr ceremonies, songs, shield designs and oral histories and has spent years linking up Anmatyerr people with their cultural heritage in museums, archives, libraries, and galleries. He is deeply honoured to have shared in this work with Anmatyerr people and is now a Research Fellow at Deakin University.
Other Project Leaders
Ywekel Peter Cole Peltharr
Billy Mpetyan Briscoe
Peter Pwerrerl Stafford
Johnny Mpetyan Jack
Maxie Kemarr Tilmouth
Teddy Mpetyan Briscoe
