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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

When I was a little Girl with all my mates, 2018

by Shirley Purdie

When I was a little Girl with all my mates, 2018

“This was when I was a little girl, and my mum bin working la station doing housework, I would sit a long way from the house, across the creek, near two trees and play with my mates. I had one pussycat, one galah, one little black dog and a kangaroo (joey). Because I am the eldest for the mum and my dad and I didn’t have no brother or sister at that time, when I was a little girl, so I had these mates instead. One time one walgaman (old woman) came along and she had a lot of dogs and they killed my cat. And I used to go up la station house to get some milk and one day the station owner asked me ‘where’s your cat’ and I bin told him that the dogs killed him. So the station manager went out with his gun and shoot all them dogs from that walgaman.”

Shirley Purdie
(More information, View all 37 images)

Darriyaril (rainbow)
Moolloonggoogallem (wishing for fat one from the moon)
Skin group from my father’s mother’s side
Teaching me when I was growing up

Related information

Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey
Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey

So Fine

Contemporary women artists make Australian history

Previous exhibition, 2018

This exhibition features new works from ten women artists reinterpreting and reimagining elements of Australian history, enriching the contemporary narrative around Australia’s history and biography, reflecting the tradition of storytelling in our country.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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