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.