Yardhura Walani

The National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research

About

Yardhura Walani drives systems change and is the largest Indigenous health and wellbeing team in Australia, spanning cultural determinants like racism, tobacco control, family safety, cancer and chronic disease. 

Located at the Australian National University in Canberra, Yardhura Walani requested a culturally meaningful brand identity and logo that reflects the depth and scope of their work and embodies the gifted Ngunnawal language name, which translates as “a strong, powerful, and healthy energy and place.”

CLIENT

Australian National University

ARTIST

Teho Ropeyarn

WORK
THE ARTIST

Teho Ropeyarn

Teho Ropeyarn is from Injinoo, at the very top of Cape York. Teho’s clan groups are Angkamuthi on the west coast and Yadhaykana on the east coast. Teho’s work explores several traditional and historical stories, including significant events, dreaming sites and totems.  Injinoo peoples are made up of four clan groups and ceremonial body designs demonstrate their continued spiritual connection to Country and community on both land and sea.

We think about Country from the inside out. The stories embedded in my work are not just about place– they are about family, belonging, and continuity.

Teho Ropeyarn
ARTWORK STORY

'Utku An Alarrakudhi'

The artwork Utku An Alarrakudhi is Teho’s interpretation of a cultural story shared by his mentor, the late Gordon Pablo, and belongs to Teho’s uncle. The piece depicts the Utku (Emu) and Alarrakudhi (Brolga) through a visual narrative starting with the yam, yam vine, sun, moon, anstars. The yam vine connects each chapter of the story, flowing through events that highlight the interconnectedness of life. The narrative centres on two families: the mother emu and her crazy, wild, bad children; and mother brolga and her children, who were good children who listened. Every morning, the two mothers would grab their dilly bags, and everyone would go looking around for food in the bush, especially yam, and bring their dilly bags back to the camp, make fire, and cook and eat.

Approach

Through a considered curatorial approach, Saltwater People created an impactful brand identity of Teho Ropeyarn’s ‘Utku An Alarrakudhi’. This cultural work tells a story about the interconnectedness of life.

The artwork was digitised to build a powerful brand identity and applies across a suite of communications collateral, digital marketing, and event assets. To capture the story and creative process, we partnered with Gimuy/Cairns-based videographer PhlipVids to share the origin story, and our team applied motion graphics to the artwork to engage audiences across digital platforms. 

Yardhura Walani’s brand identity embodies strength and resilience through a cultural story centred on Indigenous knowledge systems, reflecting the unique approach of Yardhura Walani and the communities it serves.

We must allow communities to lead, and we must uphold the rights of those we serve. We must do no further harm, and continue to attract, grow and support the most talented, dedicated and passionate researchers, for what we each know, is some of the most important work that anyone could do.

FIONA CORNFORTH, CEO, YARDHURA WALANI
IMPACT PRIORITIES

IMPACT PARTNERS