Isa Yubuyu McDinny b. 1952

Isa is the eldest daughter of Dinny McDinny. Born in 1952 at Manangoora, across the river

from the station, Isa grew up enjoying the bush life, hunting, dancing, and singing with the

old people. Isa recalls vivid memories from the old days, travelling through the bush and likes

to capture these in her art. Isa's paintings come to her in her dreams, specific colours and

evocative images, a powerful expression of her father's voice.

“I didn't have any school, I was taught by my grandmother and grandfather, learning the

names of the country and plants. My father's mother was Marburamunya…. My family and I,

we all lived off the land eating bush foods.”

In 1963 when Isa was still just a child, the welfare came to pick her and her siblings up from

Manangoora and took them to Borroloola to attend school. Isa however preferred the

traditional life her parents and grandparents had lived and taught her when she was young.

“Welfare came to Manangoora and asked me, 'are you coming down to Borroloola for

school?'...I said, 'no I'm not going, I'm staying here with my great grandmother.' Mum and Dad

told me Nanna passed away, but I still wanted to stay. I was crying and crying for her. Dad

said, 'you kiss Nanna now (his mum, Molly), goodbye and you won't see her anymore.' They

grabbed me and held me...take me away from Nanna to the car...big truck...and then I went

with them to Borroloola and mum sneaked away from Borroloola to Robinson Crossing with

all the kids… I used to run away from school because I wasn’t happy with the school. Instead,

I used to go hunting with mum and dad around Borroloola and down the river to do fishing

as well. I love the river to do fishing as well…. I used to go with my uncle Isaac and Annie

Karakin to the Seven Emu Crossing at Robinson River called Dungana… I used to go with

them in the canoe. He was sick that old fella, paddling the canoe and he saw barramundi

beside the bank. He got the spear and speared right through. He was sick old fella and he

lift him up the side… anyway, we went to have lunch at Crab Hole (edge of Robinson River).

With that barramundi...oooh lovely. We were hungry too! He taught me how to fish - they

always call me the Black Pelican…. I love the bush life because it reminds me of when I used

to live in Manangoora. That was a good life then.” Isa later went back to Mardarini where she stayed until 1972. “Bark humpy house… it’s all gone now. We would go on a special trip around Christmas time.

Sometimes to Seven Emu. One time we went to Vanderlin Island with the canoe from

Robinson River...with the old man to get good bush medicine. The canoe had sails and went

fast. Went there with my sister Irene Isaac Gunjuyu… We grew up everywhere in this

country… We stayed there for one month and welfare came back… ‘come on Eileen McDinny with all your children, go to school at Borroloola'. We all went back to Borroloola. My Dad was at Seven Emu Station. We lived at Old Malarndirri Camp...used to be a mission and

we used to have a good time - fun with all different tribes...all mixed up right there in

Malarndirri camp. Garrwa, Gudanji, Yanyuwa and Marra… Four Clans.”

When Isa grew older in Borroloola, she got picked up and taken to live in Darwin. While in

Darwin, Isa worked for a community, helping with housing. She then went on to work in a

kitchen making lunches for all the workers. Shortly after, Isa moved out to Wadawadala

outstation with her parents, as the tribes there got their land back.

“When I finished, I went out to Wadawadala outstation with my parents cause my father

finally got his land back. My mum Eileen and I used to take kids out bush hunting for bush

tucker, and teach them language, and cultural dancing…. For the last 33 years, I worked at

Borroloola school teaching culture, dancing, telling story and hunting. Now I’m painting for

Karen Brown Fine Art Gallery.”

Statement

"My name is Isa McDinny. I was born in Manangoora on 22/04/1952. I lived with my families

at Manangoora. My family and I, we all lived off the land eating bush foods… Before they

moved us to Borroloola. The welfare came to pick us up from Manangoora around 1963.

They take us to Borroloola so that we can attend school to learn education. I used to run

away from school because I wasn’t happy with the school. I used to go hunting with mum

and dad around Borroloola and down the river to do fishing as well. I love the river to do

fishing as well. I love the bush life because it reminds me when I used to live in Manangoora.

That was a good life then. Mum and dad left me in Borroloola. They both went to the

station to work. Then there were people came from Darwin to pick me up to go to Darwin

to live there. When I finished working at school, I then worked for a community helping out

with housing for about one year. I also worked in a kitchen making lunches for the workers

and doing kitchen hand as well I worked there for about one year. When I finished, I went

out to Wadawadala outstation with my parents cause my father got his land back. My mum

Eileen and I used to take kids out bush hunting for bush tucker, and teach them language,

cultural dancing. I went to Doomadgee and that’s where I met my husband, Neil Sherrin. We

both had our first daughter Fiona, Vanessa, our second daughter, we had Bryson our third

son, and we had Katie our fourth child. Then Margaret Rory... she was my youngest daughter

to another man his name was Steven Rory. I got involved in a film call two law it was a

documentary. I then went to Sydney to edit the film, was there about two weeks. The

film was made in 1979. I went to Batchelor College to do sewing course for about a year

then went back home to Borroloola. In 2017 I got involved in documentary called Journey

West. I used to teach kids cultural dancing, telling story and hunting. For the last 33 years I

worked at Borroloola school teaching culture. Now I’m painting and showing at Karen Brown Fine Art Gallery."