Kai’Mia.
“My main goal as the non-Indigenous lead artist is to collaborate with our first nations people to create not only a greater understanding for myself and hopefully the wider public, but to show the harmony that can be achieved through collaboration and a mutual respect and understanding.”
The concept I have been focusing on for the Prestons mural project revolves around highlighting the diverse, beautiful and also extremely useful native flora found in the flDarug area and the area of Greater Western Sydney as a whole, and the deeply personal relationship the Darug people have with the land and the native flora. These relationships have been built over thousands of years, and I believe it is extremely important to highlight the extremely personal bond our First Nations people have with the land. Not only do they have a deep relationship, but many of our dream time stories have a deep relationship to many of these species of flora.
The theme “Healing” has kept coming back to my mind as I took notes, and I feel with the area being so deeply ingrained in Aboriginal culture, that a large scale building on what was once their land should have artwork that pays tribute to the local community and the connection they have with the land.
Many different of species of flora have/had a very rich range of uses, from sources of nutrients which helped sustain our first nations people for thousands of years, to the ancient healing powers studied meticulously which have saved countless lives, to deep spiritual significance used for ceremonies and the many uses for carving, weaving and the creation of many tools and instruments to help people in their day to day life of our first nations people. With the guidance of local Indigenous leader Aunty Barb Simms-Keeley and artist Amy Hill I have carefully researched local native flora that hold great significance to the native people. We received many different flora species suggestions and after much consideration, the main flower I would like to focus on would be the Gymea Lily, which holds important significance to the local people, as guided by Aunty Barb, through my own research, and also through an artistic lense of harmony between colours range and direction.
My main goal as the non-Indigenous lead artist is to collaborate with our first nations people to create not only a greater understanding for myself and hopefully the wider public, but to show the harmony that can be achieved through collaboration and a mutual respect and understanding.
