Roxanne Thomas

When I am painting I think about my culture and how it is struggling in the modern world and how different life is today compared to when I was a child. My language name, Buljie Buljie, means mangrove rat. I paint my totem Balibal – the spotted stingray, and it makes me feel good inside, proud and when I am finished and I can look at it hanging on a wall it makes me strong and feel that I am helping to keep my culture strong. I was born in Cloncurry and my Mum took me to Mornington Island while I was still a small baby. I was grown up by Tom and Dora Jacob. I went to high school in Cairns but returned to Mornington Island to work at the local store when I was 15 years old. I have two sons, the first Kyle was born when I was 19 and the second, Brenton, two years later. I have worked with the Mornington Island dancers for the last 15 years touring to countries such as USA, New Zealand, Japan, China and Palua. I have also toured all over Australia showing the wider Australian community our dances, culture and songs.