Gracie Mosquito

Gracie was born at Sturt Creek Station in 1955. Her father was from Puruku (Lake Gregory), where Gracie grew up until she was about six years old. She was the youngest in a large family.

One day, a priest found her by the lake and took her to the Old Balgo Mission, where she was raised in the dormitory with her elder sister. Gracie began her schooling at the Old Balgo Mission but completed her education at the new mission site — present-day Balgo (Wirrimanu).

After finishing school, she worked as a health worker in Balgo, married her husband, and had five sons. Gracie now has eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Balgo elders Bai Bai Napangardi and Eubena Nampitjin, along with Mulan elders Bessie and Veronica Lulu, taught Gracie the traditional knowledge of bush medicine and how to prepare it. This knowledge led to a successful, though brief, collaboration with medical professionals from Broome, who worked with Gracie Mosquito and Tossie Baadjo to produce, package, and sell bush medicine to local communities in the Kimberley region. A house was allocated in the community to serve as the base for this bush medicine operation.

Gracie is a respected elder in her community and also serves as a church leader in Balgo, working with the parish to organise community events and services.