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Featuring Nilamarr artwork by Rona Bin Hitam, this magnet celebrates the rich cultural and economic history of shell collecting on Baard Country. In Baard language, Nilamarr also means "ear" and refers to shells that were traditionally gathered for food and later traded for the button-making industry.
Drawing on memories from her childhood, Rona's artwork reflects a time when trochus and pearl shells were collected from the reefs around the Dampier Peninsula and exported around the world for button manufacturing before plastic replaced the industry.
• Features Nilamarr artwork by Rona Bin Hitam
• Celebrates Baard cultural knowledge and history
• Compact and practical keepsake
• Ideal for fridges, lockers, and magnetic displays
• Royalties paid to the artist
• Great gift or souvenir
Artwork Story
Nilamarr are good eating and their beautiful opalescent shells were once used to make buttons. As a young girl, Rona collected shells on the reef and traded them in Broome. These shells became a major export industry for the region before the introduction of plastic manufacturing.
Artist
Rona Bin Hitam is a Goolarrgoon Baard woman from the north-west region of Baard Country, north of Broome. Raised on Country near Lombadina, she grew up learning traditional fishing, shell collecting, and cultural practices from her grandparents. Her artwork is inspired by her memories of Country, shell skeletons, native plants, and the stories of her people.
Perfect For
• Home and office display
• Gifts and souvenirs
• Collecting Indigenous Australian art
• Celebrating Aboriginal culture and storytelling