Dorothy Gabori from Mornington Island

Kaiadilt

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Dorothy was born in 1959 on Gununa Mornington Island. She belongs to the Kaiadilt Cultural group and speaks the Kayardild language. Her totem is Dibirdibi.
“I am the fifth child of my Mother Sally Gabori. My Father was Pat Gabori, he was a hunter, a hard-working old fella. We used to go bush with our parents who taught us a lot about our homelands both Bentinck Island and Sweers Island.“
Dorothy is a very active member artist. She works with her sister and the rest of the family in the Mornington Island Art Centre. She learns a lot about her land and country from older people.
Dorothy started painting with her mother, Sally Gabori. As a child, she followed in her mother’s footsteps and started going to the Art Centre with her, watching her while she painted, and that was the biggest inspiration for young Dorothy. She learned everything about painting from her mother, keeping her legacy strong, respectfully and with love.
Her art is full of inspiration and love for her father and mother’s country. She uses shapes and motives to visually represent and share stories about essential and powerful places in her country. Dorothy feels responsible for protecting her heritage from loss and uses her artistic talent to honour her land and nations, just as her parents and ancestors did.
Her love for art is bonded with her passion for her land.