Aileen Cheinmora / Gwion Gwion and Wandjina Rock Art (AC06)

Aileen Cheinmora was born in Wyndham Hospital, WA in 1979. She has lived in Kalumburu all her life. Kalumburu is an Aboriginal community set deep in the Wandjina spirit country, situated on the banks of the King Edward River and is the furthermost permanent settlement along the remote Kimberley coast in the north of Western Australia.

Aileen’s mother Maureen is from Bidyadanga community (180km south of Broome) and her father Alfred is from Kalumburu. Aileen went to school at Kalumburu and after finishing, became a teacher’s assistant at the school which she still does today. Aileen has one child, a little boy, Cassius.
Aileen was encouraged by friends and family to start painting in 2018 after years of watching and learning from her talented relatives such as Lily Karadada and Kevin Waina. She started by sketching and now paints the Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art which is abundant in her region on canvas.

Aileen is a naturally talented artist with a wonderful career ahead of her.

This is Rock Art painting in the country of the Kwini area near where I live. Here you can find the Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw) figures and the Wandjina both together. The old people pass down the stories to us about our people respecting the Gwion God, who gives us directions to the good hunting grounds and the Wandjina Rain God who controls the seasons and makes sure there is enough water for everyone. This art is full of movement and happiness – so long as everyone does the right thing, we will live in harmony, and have good food and good luck.