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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Trucaninny [Trukanini], wife of Woureddy [Wurati]

1836
Benjamin Law

cast plaster, painted (66.0 cm x 42.5 cm depth 25.7 cm)

Trukanini, from the Nuennone/Nueonne/Nununi peoples of the southeast region of Lutruwita (Tasmania), is renowned as a prominent leader. Trukanini was the daughter of Mangana of the Leillateah (Recherche Bay) people.

Trukanini experienced the Black War conflicts from 1824, eventually working with invaders as a strategy for survival. Both Trukanini and her husband Wurati navigated the conflicts between the colonial government and their peoples, while maintaining responsibility and pride in their culture. Trukanini, for example, refuted expectations of assimilation, proudly wearing her maireener shell necklace as a marker of women’s culture, the push and pull of the saltwater tide, and as a means of connection to the ocean ecosystems.

This bust of Trukanini by sculptor Benjamin Law, and the bust of Wurati completed in 1835, have been identified as the earliest known sculptures of Australian subjects created by a British colonist. These works, which were produced in multiple iterations to disseminate across the world, testify to the way representations of First Nations people have been exploited and betrayed as part of the colonial project. And yet these proud leaders endure, asserting their identity and defiance.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2010

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.
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Audio description

2 minutes 19 seconds
Show transcript

Artist and subject

Benjamin Law (age 29 in 1836)

Trukanini (age 24 in 1836)

Subject professions

Government and leadership

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency