Jack Dale

Jack Dale Mengenen was a respected Ngarinyin elder, artist, and cultural custodian from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Born around 1922 at Mount House Station, he was the son of a Scottish frontiersman and a Ngarinyin woman of the Komaduwah clan. Raised in the bush by his mother and grandfather, Jack grew up immersed in the traditional laws, stories, and customs of his people. His early life was marked by hardship, including evading authorities who sought to remove mixed-heritage children from their families under government policies of the time.

Throughout his life, Jack worked as a stockman across the Kimberley and served as a driver during World War II, witnessing events such as the Japanese bombing of Broome. These lived experiences, combined with his deep cultural knowledge, became central themes in his artwork. He began painting later in life, in the late 1990s, using natural ochres on canvas to depict Wandjina spirits—ancestral beings who created the land and are central to Ngarinyin cosmology.

His artworks are characterised by bold lines, strong forms, and rich earth tones, conveying stories that blend spiritual depth with personal history. Jack’s distinctive visual language offered a bridge between the past and present, and his paintings have been exhibited widely in Australia and internationally.

His work is held in major public and private collections, including the National Museum of Australia and the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Jack Dale's legacy lives on through his art and through his daughter Edna Dale, who continues to share their stories. His life and paintings serve as a testament to the resilience of culture and the enduring spirit of the Kimberley.