Skin name: Namarrang
Clan: Kamurlkbarn

Cookie’s childhood was spent at the lighthouse settlement at Jamarldinki (Cape Don) on the Cobourg Peninsula and, although his father's language was Amurdak, he grew up speaking Iwaidja, which was the dominant language of the area at that time. Cookie also retains a good passive knowledge of his mother's language, Garig, which, along with Amurdak, has fallen into disuse today.

Cookie was born around 1938 at Araru near Jamarldinki. His father, Buckley Darrandarra, was of the Amurdak-speaking Kamurlkabarn clan and his mother, Lily Marlyurrkij, was of the Garig-speaking Majurnbalmi clan. After spending time working as a cook at the forestry camp at Murganella (Waak), where he was given the nickname ‘Cookie', he moved to Minjilang on Croker Island. The success of the Cobourg Land Claim in 1981 led Cookie and his family to establish an outstation at Gamurragi. He now divides his time between Minjilang and the mainland. Cookie who is now too old to perform music or to dance, was well known in the region for his excellent performances and specifically for his compositions of Jurtbirrk songs, a genre which translates in to English as Love songs. Cookie is a senior member of the Iwaidja Inyman language team and one of its key cultural informants.