Marijke is a Lama Lama/Lamalama, Binthi Warra (Guugu Yimithirr Nation) and Bulgun Warra Aboriginal woman, born and raised on the east coast lands of her people in Cape York Peninsula in remote Far North Queensland, Australia. Marijke has deep rooted (kin)nections to the Cape York communities of Hope Vale, Coen, Port Stewart (Yintjingga), Lockhart River, Wujal Wujal and Gungarde (Cooktown) through her Lama Lama/Lamalama, Binthi Warra and Bulgun Warra bloodline, cultural and kinship ties. Marijke’s first language is Guugu Yimithirr, the language of her Binthi Warra people, and her second language is East Cape York Kriol. Marijke comes from wind and rain story which are the ancient lores/laws binding the hearts, spirits and bodies of her people to their lands, skies, seas and each other.
Qualifications & Experience
Marijke is a commercially-trained multilingual international Human rights Lawyer, Associate Dean and Professor, Scholar and Photographer with over a decade of experience across the corporate, government, not-for-profit, higher education, and social justice legal sectors. Marijke holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Politics and Government including a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, and was admitted to the Australian legal profession in the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2014. Marijke also holds a Master of Laws specialising in International law and was honoured with an Excellence award from the Vice Chancellor of the University of New South Wales Sydney (UNSW) in recognition of her outstanding academic record. She was first in her family to complete high school and attend university, and later became the first international Human rights Lawyer from Cape York Peninsula. Marijke recently completed a cross-institutional PhD in International law under the joint supervision of UNSW Sydney Faculty of Law & Justice, and the University of California Berkeley Center for Race & Gender where she was Visiting Scholar and served as Human rights Lawyer in-residence (2022-23), becoming the first Australian to hold the latter position. Marijke is an experienced Clinical legal supervisor and Lecturer of law, delivering lectures for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Juris Doctor courses in Community law, Anti-discrimination law and International law with a focus on First Nations peoples, women, cultural heritage and LGBTQIA+ matters. Marijke also trained as a corporate Solicitor and has practitioner experience in Commercial litigation, Insurance, Personal and Property liability, Dispute resolution and Mediation, Corporations law, Native title, Wills and Enduring Power of Attorney, Environment law, Criminal law, Credit and Debt, Anti-discrimination law, Housing and Tenancy law.
Expertise & Passion
Marijke specialises in International law with a focus on discrimination and Human rights relating to Indigeneity, race, gender, sexuality and cultural heritage. Marijke is passionate about protecting the rights and voices of First Nations LGBTQIA+ peoples from around the world, and is committed to challenging Indigenous gender, masculinity and femininity norms that obstruct the path toward a vibrant future free from violence for all Indigenous peoples.