Thancoupie

Thancoupie
Born 1937 (1937)
Weipa, Queensland, Australia
Died 23 April 2011 (aged 73–74)
Weipa, Queensland, Australia
Other names Thanakupi, Thanacoupie, Gloria Fletcher, Thanakupi, Dr Gloria Fletcher James AO
Known for Sculpture

Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher James AO (1937-2011) was an Australian ceramic artist, educator, linguist and elder of the Thaynakwith people in the Western Cape York area of far north Queensland. She was the last fluent speaker of the Thaynakwith language. She was also known as Thankupi, Thancoupie and Thanakupi.

Early life

Thancoupie was born in 1937 at Weipa to Ida and Jimmy James and was given the name Thanakupi which means "wattle flower" in the Thaynakwith language.[1][2] She was later given the name Gloria James at her baptism.[2] She had a twin sister who died young.[3]

Thancoupie grew up in the small Napranum community and attended the mission school there before studying ceramics in Sydney.[2] In rediscovering her language, she adopted the name Thancoupie but she also used the variant spelling Thanakupi.[2]

Career

Thancoupie has worked as a ceramic artist, story teller, educator, community leader, advocate, and negotiator.[2] She began her career as a preschool children's educator while pursuing her art part time.[4] In 1969 she moved from far north Queensland to study art and ceramics at East Sydney Technical College.[4][5]

Thancoupie together with the Tiwi potter Eddy Puruntatamerri, were founders of Australia’s Indigenous ceramic art movement.[6] Thancoupie's work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia as well as art galleries and museums in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Queensland.[6] Eran 2010, a sculptural piece is at the entrance to the National Gallery of Australia.[4][7] Thancoupie mounted more than 20 solo exhibitions in Australia and overseas.[4]

Community leader and storyteller

Her life work has been recording the language and stories of the Thaynakwith people.[2][8][9] She began telling her community's stories through clay, tile and other ceramic arts.[2] She founded the Weipa Festival, a celebration of indigenous art and performance from all over Australia held at Weipa.[4]

Works

Awards

Personal life

Thancoupie died in 2011[13] after a long illness, aged 74, at Weipa Base Hospital on Cape York.[14][15]

References

  1. ↑ "Message Stick - Thancoupie". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher". AustLit. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Nicholls, Christine. "Artist kept her people's culture and language alive". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "About Thancoupie - Thancoupie's Bursary Fund". www.thancoupiebursary.com. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Hood, Robbie. "Thanakupi – Indigenous Australian ceramic artist". Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  6. 1 2 Newstead, Adrian. "Australian Indigenous Art Market Top 100". www.aiam100.com. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Eran". cs.nga.gov.au. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Thancoupie, Gloria Fletcher; Thancoupie, Gloria Fletcher (2007), Thanakupi's guide to language & culture : a Thaynakwith dictionary, Jennifer Isaacs Arts & Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9803312-0-2
  9. ↑ "Jennifer Isaacs: Thancoupie". www.jenniferisaacs.com.au. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "NGA collaborates with UAP to produce two major commissions for 'new look' gallery". urbanartprojects.wordpress.com. Urban Art Projects. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "Thancoupie, 1981". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  12. ↑ "2008 Queensland Greats recipients". www.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  13. ↑ "Artist kept her people's culture and language alive.(News and Features)(Obituary)", The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia), Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited: 20, 2011-09-07, ISSN 0312-6315
  14. ↑ "Biography - Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher James - Indigenous Australia". ia.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Thancoupie (Thanakupi) the Potter (1937-2011)". Inside the collection - Powerhouse Museum. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
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