Stewart Hoosan

Born 1951, Doomadgee, Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland

Language Karwa/Gangalida

Hoosan was born in 1951 at Doomadgee Mission, the son of Thelma Dixon and Alec Hoosan, he spent much of his time at Calvert Hill Station and Robinson River Station. His name is Wurrlbiyanguna and his skin is Burralangi. His father was an important Middle Eastern man, as Thelma described him, who had come to Australia with the Afghan cameleers. His grandfather, Yarriyarri, told him stories about country and Stewart recalls watching him paint on the cave walls. It was this old man that caused Stewart to begin to think about his country and his connection to the land: to paint strong country paintings.
When he was just nine, Stewart began droving through Queensland and through his grandmother’s country, China Wall. When Stewart turned 21 he went to Borroloola to look for this mother. She had left Robinson River and was now in Derby, Western Australia. Stewart travelled to Derby and spent a year there as a stockman but returned to Robinson River country with his mother, his wife Nancy McDinny and their children. In time, Stewart and Nancy moved with her parents back to their homeland Wadawadla (black fellow crossing).

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