Denise Oxtoby

Denise was born in Wyndham, her mother Matilda Oxtoby is from the the Wunambal ‘Djanghara’ family. Her grandfather Basil Djanghara was born in Kanmanya near Derby had 14 children. In the old days he walked with his family and brother Waygen, walking from Derby across the Prince Regent river. With a few others of the Wunambal tribe from across towards Kalumburu, they went by canoe to Merret island which was the land of his mother. The families used to travel between Beegie and Merret island.

Grandfather Basil got married to Philipina Djanghara from the Walumbie tribe near Kalumburu. He was a stockman and his brother Waygen was an artist. Denise’s dad Steven John Oxtoby is a Canadian Indigenous man from Vancouver who traveled to Australia and met and married Matilda in Kununurra. Denise has lived in Kalumburu all her life. She has two young children, and has worked at the art centre for several years as an artist and also as an arts worker.