Yinaagirbang – All Women Deserve to be Respected

"Yinaagirbang" is a declaration: All women deserve to be respected.

This artwork honours the matriarchal lore—the sacred responsibilities, voices, and power held by Aboriginal women since the beginning of time.

In our culture, women are the birth-givers, the life-bringers, and the knowledge-holders. Their wisdom shapes community, guides children, and sustains connection to Country. Through this piece, I pay tribute to the strength of our women—their stories, their songlines, and the deep-rooted roles they carry within lore. These responsibilities are not just inherited—they are spiritual. Women are the keepers of birthing places, the protectors of carvings etched in cave walls, and the ones who walk closely with Mother Earth. They
read the signs in the land, in the sky, in the wind. Their voice is not separate from Country—it is Country. The forms and symbols in this work reflect sacred sites—birthing trees, cave carvings, waterways and star lines. These are the places where women’s ceremonies were held, where spirit entered the world, and where the stories of creation still live. The sky above is filled with spirit beings and ancestral guides who watch over women’s law, carrying their knowledge across generations.

"Yinaagirbang" is a reminder that respect for women is respect for life, for lore, and for Country. Their voice matters. Their presence is sacred. Their connection to Mother Land and Mother Sky is powerful, unbroken, and eternal.

Created 2024

Acrylic paint and coloured pen on canvas - unstretched
91.5 x 61 cm