Romena Edwards

Romena was born in Cairns but grew up in Pormpuraaw and Ngakayangka outstation.

Her clan is the�Kugu Mi’inh, Saltwater people. Her totems are the Minah Puntil (Brolga) Thaayorre side and Minha Ko�an (Magpie Goose) from Kugu Mi’inh side.

In addition to English she speaks three languages Kugu, Thaayorre and some Wik.

�When I was growing up, I went camping out a lot with the Norman and Holroyd families. My childhood was full of adventure.� We would just take out a simple mattress and camping gear.� We�d go hunting and collecting.� One time we walked through really tall razor grass.� It was taller than us all!� We were looking for Magpie Geese eggs and it was a successful hunt.

I remember digging for yams with the old ladies.� They had to dig so deep that they could sit at the bottom of the hole and you couldn�t see their heads!

I spent a lot of time at Ngakayangka outstation with the Norman and Holroyd families. Old man Robert Holroyd, asked me to go out there.� He was an amazing man and is the reason we secured all our homelands.� He fought for our rights.� He was extremely special to me.� He taught me about family connections.� He was a true warrior and bush man and held a lot of knowledge.� He would give us bush tucker such as flyingfox.� He�d take us collecting turtle eggs when in season.� We would drink out of a homemade well which tapped the springwater.� It was a really special childhood.

Me and my grandmother spent a lot of time at the beach.� We�d camp, go fishing and collecting shellfish.� We�d look for mud crabs on the tidal flats.� This was a really precious time for me.�

Later on when I was eleven, I went to live in NSW with my dad for a couple of years. I then started primary school in Uki.� I was really homesick. I came back back to Pormpuraaw when I was thirteen but then went to boarding school at Woodleigh College in Herberton and did years 9-10. Then in year 11, I went to Atherton High School.

A few years later I met a Wik Iiyanh man, Gavin Kendall.� Soon after I had my daughter Tshinta who is now studying law at Bond University and three sons Beau, Cooper and Colt.�

Romena has studied Indigenous Health Primary Care Cert 3 & 4 and worked as an Indigenous Health Worker for several years.� She enjoyed helping her people.� However, she discovered a passion for art.� She loves to make her artworks and looks forward to coming to the art centre every day.

Romena�s art practice includes painting, print making and ghostnet weaving.