Dibirdibi Country 2010

Sally Gabori created “Dibirdibi Country” using synthetic polymer paint on canvas. Gabori's vibrant abstract paintings emerged from a life deeply rooted in her homeland, Bentinck Island, and its Kaiadilt culture. Born around 1924, Gabori's early life was shaped by the traditional practices and stories of her people. The forced displacement of the Kaiadilt people to Mornington Island in 1948 due to a cyclone marked a traumatic disruption of their cultural and physical connection to their land. It wasn't until 2005, at the age of 81, that Gabori began painting. "Dibirdibi Country" is an emotional map of her ancestral lands. The bright colours are said to reflect her intimate knowledge and emotional connection to the landscape. The bold, gestural strokes convey a sense of freedom and spontaneity, yet they are also deliberate. In this way Gabori developed a visual language that broke with traditional Indigenous art styles, offering a fresh perspective on land, memory, and identity. Gabori once said, “When I paint, I think of my country.” Her work acts as a powerful assertion of cultural identity and a testament to the resilience of the Kaiadilt people.