Yondee Shane Hansen
Yondee (Shane Hansen) is a Noongar artist from Western Australia, born in 1964 in the town of Dumbleyung, approximately 270 km south of Perth. The name Dumbleyung is derived from the Aboriginal word Dambeling, meaning “large lake,” referencing the significant lake in the region. As a child, Yondee remembers visiting the lake and hearing stories of the Wagal (Rainbow Serpent), an important spiritual being in Noongar culture.
From a young age, Yondee was taught about hunting traditions and cultural stories by his father through sand drawings. Around the age of ten, he would travel to visit his aunties along the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River), where he collected paperbark to assist them in their artwork. These early experiences introduced him to traditional artistic practices and storytelling through art.
Today, Yondee is an accomplished artist who works with sand, ochres and acrylics to depict the stories, landscapes and legends of his people. His works often appear abstract in form but are deeply narrative, reflecting cultural knowledge passed down through generations. Inspired by the ground paintings of his ancestors, Yondee translates these traditional designs into contemporary artworks, sharing these stories with new audiences while continuing the cultural legacy of his grandfather.
Speaking about his practice, Yondee explains:“I make sand paintings, collecting sand from the creeks. You have to wash it to get the salt out, but the sand from the creeks is smoother and good to use. When I make sand paintings using black and white, or bold colours, it gives a simple, strong message.”
About the Artwork
In this work, Yondee reflects on the Coral Reef and the deep connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the waters and islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Long before European exploration, Indigenous communities travelled, fished and hunted throughout the region, navigating the reefs and islands using traditional knowledge passed down through generations.
The reef and its surrounding islands hold significant cultural importance, with many sites connected to ancestral stories and Dreaming narratives. Marine animals such as dugongs and turtles feature strongly in these traditions and remain an important part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Through colour, movement and layered composition, Yondee captures both the natural beauty of the reef and its enduring cultural significance — celebrating the relationship between people, sea and Country that has existed for thousands of years.
