Sam  Juparulla Wickman

Artist, Archaeologist & Community Man

Sam Wickman is an Aboriginal archaeologist with extensive experience in archaeological fieldwork, heritage management and Aboriginal community consultation and negotiation. Sam is qualified with a B.A. (Honours) degree awarded by the Australian National University.

Prior to qualifying as a profession archaeologist, Sam held management positions in Aboriginal communities. He was Coordinator for the FORWARD Rehabilitation Centre in Darwin, Deputy Principal of the Institute for Aboriginal Health in Katherine, and Executive Director of Health and for the Kalano Aboriginal Community Association.  Subsequently, he lectured in Administrative Studies at the Darwin Community College, including a number of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.  More recently he has worked as a Heritage Policy Officer in the Victorian Government, Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

In 1995-1999 Sam was a lecturer at Charles Sturt University in Albury (rising to tenured Lecturer Grade A) in the School of Art and Cultural Heritage, School of Environment and Information Sciences, and Faculty of Science and Agriculture. During his tenure at Charles Sturt he also lectured at the Institute of Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs. The courses he gave included Aboriginal studies, Australian Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, Site Survey Design, Politics of the Past, and Visions of the Past.  Sam has also lectured as a guest lecturer at La Trobe University as a Post Grad student and had a position at the Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies, Monash University, Melbourne Victoria.

He is the author of a professional publication on Aboriginal land management and has participated in a number of professional conferences and workshops in Australia (including keynote speaker). Overseas he delivered a paper at the British Australian Studies Association Conference in the UK on Aboriginal Land Management Issues in Central Australia.

As well as being a consultant archaeologist, Sam is a noted artist in glass. He contributes to the art production of Bonegilla Glass Studio in Albury and his works are exhibited in galleries across Australia and around the world.

Sam has also established his own company in which he aims to educate people in the fascinating points of Australian aboriginal culture through his art. In doing this Sam hopes to provide others in the community with a source of inspiration. On various occasions Sam’s art shows have sold our prior to opening. His most recent single artist exhibition has been at the Hogarth Gallery in Paddington.  His most recent milestone has been one of his hand made artworks which was received by the Royal family of the Netherlands.  Sam is presently developing a range of artworks of which he can market to the retail industry to further promote indigenous Australian art.

Sam’s many life experiences through his cultural connections, archaeological studies, and various community works has lead to a deep cultural understanding of what Indigenous Australian culture means. This can clearly be expressed in his attractive artwork.