I am Kaiadilt and my country is Dulkawarngiid (Bentinck Island, QLD). In Kayardild, Marrjinda Dangka means “Messenger”. Marrjinda Dangka is an important role, communicating information across our island. I view QRAM as a modern Marrjinda Dangka, connecting our communities. This painting depicts the Marrjinda Dangka “sitting down” in NQ.
My island’s name “Dulkawarngiid” means “one world”, where everyone and everything is one: universally we are all inclusive, there is no separation between person, land, sea, animals, sky, weather, country etc. This explanation may give you an appreciation of our Indigenous sense of being, as well as insight into my artwork.
Elements of my artwork:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait dancers: Indigenous culture — from kinship and morality, to stories of landscapes and creation — has always been communicated through dance, song, arts, signs and oral language.
The central circular image is intended to suggest an eye or vision, as well as a collection of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait stories; hoping to respectfully blend, relate and collate all of our different mobs together, as QRAM does.
Animals: Animals are inherent to Indigenous identity. They are family, we are one with them. They help us to explain country, lore, kinships, spirituality, morality, ethics and more.
Drum and Didgeridoo: Some of our NQ mob use these instruments to help tell our stories; emphasise and express power in our songs and dance. Like QRAM, helping to highlight and “turn up” the volume for our NQ voices.
Stars / Ochre: Indigenous identity is very spiritual. Like my country “Dulkawarngiid”, we are all one, inclusive of the world and universe. The NQ regions also include many coastal and island communities, where some of our Indigenous mob still continue to use stars to guide their journeys and navigate through their homelands. My people also used kakararra (white ochre) for healing. I felt it necessary to paint the QRAM Marrjinda Dangka in kakararra, as communication and connection are essential to promote healing for all people.
Country is depicted in varying shades from green to brown, to represent the changing colours of our NQ country through the wet and dry seasons — ever changing, but always beautiful.
