Sebastian Arrow Australian, Yawuru, b. 1994

Sebastian is from the Yawuru language group near Broome, Western Australia. He has lived in this area for most of his life. The well-known senior law man and artist Aubrey Tigan was his mentor and taught him the traditional designs and craft of this area. In 2011 they returned to the traditional island sea country of the Mayala people, Buccaneer Archipelago. The voyage focused on the little understood tradition of the Ochre incised Pear shell carving tradition, ubiquitous amongst saltwater tribes along the Kimberley and Pilbara coastal frontier, remote North Western edge of Western Australia. Here Sebastian received traditional training in preparation, procedure and specific designs of Riji.  He is now a trained advocate with responsibilities to cannon Mayala existence. Sebastian is able to produce some of the old local law designs and trading designs that Aubrey passed on to continue this extraordinary artwork on pearlshell. Riji are carved pearlshell, rubbed with ochre. They were traditionally used as a trading device with in land tribes and during men's initiation ceremonies. Sebastian has strong personal interest in most saltwater activities including free diving, apnea diving, fitness and nutrition and traditional and contemporary saltwater hunting. He also has a strong interest in Aboriginal Archaeology and Anthropology Pharmacopeia.