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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/28/my-message-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-aboriginal-art-needs-support

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My message to Queen Elizabeth II: Aboriginal art needs support My message to Queen Elizabeth II: Aboriginal art needs support
(about 2 hours later)
My name is Lenie Namatjira – I am a watercolour artist and the granddaughter of the Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. I am in London on tour with a theatre show about my grandfather, and today I met Her Majesty the Queen. My name is Lenie Namatjira – I am a watercolour artist and the granddaughter of the Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. I am in London on tour with a theatre show about my grandfather, and today I met Her Majesty the Queen. 
I would like to tell you about my grandfather Albert. He was an important man; he met the Queen in 1954. He was the first man from Ntaria (Hermannsburg) to paint beautiful watercolours. He taught painting to his family and lots of other people, like Edwin and Otto Pareroultja. My father Oscar passed this knowledge on to me.I would like to tell you about my grandfather Albert. He was an important man; he met the Queen in 1954. He was the first man from Ntaria (Hermannsburg) to paint beautiful watercolours. He taught painting to his family and lots of other people, like Edwin and Otto Pareroultja. My father Oscar passed this knowledge on to me.
I started painting in the 1960s at the mission school in Hermannsburg, learning in the afternoon after school. I would also watch my uncle Enos and his son Gabrielle paint. We were all living together in a house made of tin at that time. I didn’t know Albert was famous until I was 17.I started painting in the 1960s at the mission school in Hermannsburg, learning in the afternoon after school. I would also watch my uncle Enos and his son Gabrielle paint. We were all living together in a house made of tin at that time. I didn’t know Albert was famous until I was 17.
My husband passed away in 1984. After he died, I took my children to Alice Springs and I stopped painting. I only started again in 1991, and later began teaching the kids at Kulpitjara Homelands school and Hermannsburg school. We made a book to tell the story of my grandfather. I sold my paintings to the teachers, the school, and slowly more and more people started buying them.My husband passed away in 1984. After he died, I took my children to Alice Springs and I stopped painting. I only started again in 1991, and later began teaching the kids at Kulpitjara Homelands school and Hermannsburg school. We made a book to tell the story of my grandfather. I sold my paintings to the teachers, the school, and slowly more and more people started buying them.
Since 2009, I have been working with Big hART touring around Australia and beyond to tell the world about my grandfather. We also go on painting trips to places like Palm Valley, Glen Helen Gorge and West McDonnell Ranges. Most importantly we are teaching the young ones to paint – just like my family and the other Western Aranda watercolour painters once did. Since 2009, I have been working with Big hART touring around Australia and beyond to tell the world about my grandfather. We also go on painting trips to places like Palm Valley, Glen Helen Gorge and West McDonnell Ranges. Most importantly we are teaching the young ones to paint – just like my family and the other Western Aranda watercolour painters once did. Now we want to make our own arts centre strong, so we can carry on this tradition.
Now we want to make our own arts centre strong so we can carry on the tradition.
So like my grandfather, I met with the Queen. We talked more than Albert, who didn’t really speak to her at all. Back then, she gave him a medal and he quickly walked away. So like my grandfather, I met with the Queen. We talked more than Albert, who didn’t really speak to her at all. Back then, she gave him a medal and he quickly walked away. 
I gave her a painting, a present from my grandson Kevin and I, as well as a postcard from the kids in Hermannsburg, which they made for the occasion. And I told her the children have got to learn to paint like I once did, and that we need her help for this, to make our local art centre a good one. The government is working for her. She’s next to God, she looks after the nation, she can make this right.I gave her a painting, a present from my grandson Kevin and I, as well as a postcard from the kids in Hermannsburg, which they made for the occasion. And I told her the children have got to learn to paint like I once did, and that we need her help for this, to make our local art centre a good one. The government is working for her. She’s next to God, she looks after the nation, she can make this right.
We want support from the government to start an arts centre in Alice Springs. We want more funding to support Aboriginal art centres so we can keep painting strong for generations. We want a place to sit together to come watch and learn how to paint – where anyone can come, and is welcome. Painting is how we make our money to look after our families, and it is hard to paint because we often don’t have our own place and no car to get out to the bush to paint our country. We want support from the government to start an arts centre in Alice Springs. We want more funding to support Aboriginal art centres so we can keep painting strong for generations. We want a place to sit together to come watch and learn how to paint – where anyone can come, and is welcome. Painting is how we make our money to look after our families, and it is hard to paint because we often don’t have our own place and no car to get out to the bush to paint our country. 
I am asking for art centre because we, the artists, want our own art centre so that no-one can control us – so we can own our own art. We want to be able to support our young ones and keep them strong and proud, so they can show their culture and country in their work. And we want them to start up before the rest of us get too old.I am asking for art centre because we, the artists, want our own art centre so that no-one can control us – so we can own our own art. We want to be able to support our young ones and keep them strong and proud, so they can show their culture and country in their work. And we want them to start up before the rest of us get too old.
We need to keep our art and stories strong – and for that reason I am proud to have met Her Majesty the Queen and to have passed on Albert’s story in London.We need to keep our art and stories strong – and for that reason I am proud to have met Her Majesty the Queen and to have passed on Albert’s story in London.
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