MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more

Gurindji freedom banners

Retelling the story of the Wave Hill walk-off.

Location

Main floor

Mumkurla-nginyi-ma parrngalinyparla – from the darkness into the light.
 
The Gurindji freedom banners are a collection of 10 hand-painted banners created in 2000 by the Gurindji to share the community's version of the historic 1966 Wave Hill walk-off. The walk-off, or Gurindji strike, led by Gurindji man Vincent Lingiari was an important event in Australia's land rights movement. Many of the 35 Gurindji people involved in the banner-making project were participants in the walk-off.
 
At some stage, banner eight, Ngumpittu nguwula junypa wanyjarnana (Two young men dancing), went missing. In July 2025, a banner-making workshop was held in Daguragu and Kalkarindji to reconstruct the missing banner and restore the collection.
 

Plan your visit

This exhibition is wheelchair accessible.

A video plays in the exhibition and there is also an interactive map.