Selling Yarns

Australian Indigenous textiles and good business in the 21st century

 

Speakers

Winifred Margaret Hilliard MBE OAM: Biography

Craftswoman and writer,

Winifred Hilliard was the 'craftwork supervisor' responsible for introducing batik at Ernabella. Just three decades ago, the Aboriginal women in the desert community of Ernabella began using batik to create patterned fabrics. Today they have an international reputation for this type of exquisite work.

Winifred Hilliard was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire on I June 1977 for 'Aboriginal welfare'. She was later awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on the Queen's birthday list, 1989, for 'service to Aboriginal welfare, particularly the Pitjantjatjara people'.

See also: Abstract of Winifred Margaret Hilliard MBE OAM's paper:
Historical perspective: the economic benefits of introducing a craft textile business to Ernabella