Art Work

The Coolamon in the middle of the art work depicts a sacred woman's tool and is symbolic of women's business and of gathering food, nurturing our children, and becoming a community – it is a community tool.

The figurines on the Coolamon represent the researchers sitting together, listening and gathering information.

The nine figures holding the Coolamon are the nine Elder co-researchers on the Ngulluk Koolungu, Ngulluk Koort research project and who are working in partnership with the project team.

The Elders ensure that the knowledge from the project is culturally appropriate, correct and that the project is following cultural protocols.

The four circles on the corners of the artwork represent the Elders' groups from the four regions of our Nyoongar metropolitan area of Perth.

The U signs outside of the circle represent the Elder co-researchers working with the researchers at the Institute to take the questions to the community and to have community input in the future of our children.

This art seeks to capture the essence of how important this project is to the community. The colours that are used are ochre - to represent our land, and aqua to represent the ocean and to reflect that our land is surrounded by the ocean.

I grew up in the Peel area so that is very significant and symbolic to me as an artist using those colours.

The story of the Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort art work, by the artist Mrs Millie Penny