Collection: Marshall Jangala Robertson

DOB: 1974
Born: Darwin, NT
Language: Warlpiri
Community: Yuendumu, NT

Marshall Jangala Robertson was born in 1974 in Darwin. He was raised in Lajamanu with his seven sisters and attended the local Lajamanu school and later Yirara College, an Aboriginal boarding college in Alice Springs. When he left school at the end of Year 9, he returned to Lajamanu, working in a variety of trades for the CDEP. He later moved to Yuendumu, his parents’ country.

Marshall was born into a family of established artists—his father, Jimmy Jampijinpa Robertson was a founding member of the Waniyaka Art Centre at Lajamanu and his Mother, Denise Napangardi Tasman, was also a well-known artist. Marshall painted with his family and on visits to his parents’ country would be told his Jukurrpa stories. He paints his Grandfather’s and Dad’s Jukurrpa: Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming); Watiya-Warna Jukurrpa (Seed Dreaming) and Warna Jukurrpa (Snake Dreaming). Dreamings which relate directly to his land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it. Marshall is married to Justinna Napaljarri Sims and between them they have two girls and two boys. When Marshall is not painting, he enjoys going bush, hunting for goannas or travelling to Adelaide with his family, catching up with relatives and friends.