Tania Major

Tania Major is a Kokoberra contemporary artist from Kowanyama, Cape York in northern Queensland, Australia.

Major’s painting and sculptural practice draws upon her cultural heritage and enduring connection to her land and waters. Her work explores themes of identity and spirituality, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the knowledge held by the Kokoberra, Yir Yoront, (Kokomenjen) and Kunjen clans; the Traditional Owners and descendants of the Lower Mitchell and Alice River.

An artist, activist, and former Young Australian of the Year, Major first came to prominence in 2004 as the youngest person elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). In 2007, Major was awarded Young Australian of the Year for her signification contributions in addressing the challenges faced by remote communities in Cape York.

Tania Major’s debut solo exhibition Echoes of Country - Stories from Kowanyama was presented at the Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne in 2024. In the same year, her sculptural work New Ghosts Lost on Country 1, 2 and 3 was awarded the 3D Design, Sculpture & Installation Award at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair.

In 2025, Cairns Art Gallery presented Major's first institutional solo exhibition: Kowanyama - When Rain Falls, When Earth Sleeps. This exhibition features three papier-mâché dilly bag sculptures from Major's series, Traditional Reimagined Dilly Bags from the Cairns Art Gallery collection, alongside new paintings and sculptures.