Shane Gibson

Guugu Yimithirr /Thuubii, Bindhi and Bulgun warra

Shane, also known as Aka Dhuga, was born in Gimuy (Cairns) in 1973. He is a local artist from Hopevale (Guumba) and a member of the Bulgun, Thuubi, Dhaarrba, and Bindhi clans of the Guugu Yimithirr nation. Growing up in his traditional homeland, Shane received the name Dhuga from his great-grandfather Ngamu-dhuga, passed down through his grandmother, Nancy Bowen. His totems include Ngamu (dingo), Mirrki (owl), and Gaalaya (centipede). After finishing school, Shane’s first job was at the Cape Flattery Silica mines. After eight years, he moved back to Hopevale, where he served as a police sergeant for five years. He then relocated to Cooktown to work as a Police Liaison Officer. During his time there, he began experimenting with acrylics in his spare time. Shane’s cousin, Harold Bowen, significantly influenced him, encouraging him to express his stories through painting. He draws his greatest inspiration from telling stories about fish and sea animals. Although Shane is an accomplished musician and didgeridoo player, he has only been painting for a few years. He quickly gained recognition as a respected artist, sharing his own story and that of his family, focused on the local landscape and ancestral memories. Shane is passionate about telling his stories and passing them on to his children and the next generation. As a loving father of two daughters, he hopes to instil in them a love for painting that he has cherished.