Butcher Cherel
c1920 - 2009 Wigi and Junggurra 1991- acrylic on paper
Butcher Cherel Janangoo was born around 1920 at Jalnaganjoowa. This is near the original homestead on one of the longest established cattle stations in the Kimberley, Fossil Downs. He now lives in Fitzroy Crossing.
Both his parents worked on the station in and around the homestead and he recalls being taken out bush for walkabout at law time.
Cherel also spent most of his working life on Fossil Downs. As a stockman he worked cattle, droving from Fitzroy Crossing to Derby and Broome. This time was hard as he remembers, "real hard".
He began painting relatively late in life as did many of his peers. His paintings document natural phenomena and are a metaphorical reference to both his country, Imanara, and his life experiences.
Source: Short St Gallery