Community
19 September, 2023
Art reflects drought unease
KEY rural and regional stakeholders have gathered in Cairns to discuss ways to build community resilience in the face of floods and droughts.
In collaboration with Indigenous artist Bernard Lee Singleton, the TNQ Drought Hub launched a new art piece at a Queensland Connects Disaster Resilience Workshop on Tuesday, aiming to start conversations on the importance of resilience through drought and flood.
The artwork entitled Bana Mundu (water is a spirit) was launched at the Disaster Resilience Workshop at the Hilton Cairns Hotel.
Mr Singleton said the artwork embodied the ever-changing patterns of Country.
“Bana Mundu means that water is a spirit for us. It’s sacred, it’s part of our culture, so this painting represents the change in season,” he said.
“This time of the year is called yiwanyji or windy time which is that transition from kurraminya which is the dry season into the wet season kurrabana and that’s what the painting represents.
“It represents us as Indigenous people of the land and the knowledge our elders have passed down through generations, and to care for Country properly we can always look back and use this as a foundation.”
Hub director Professor David Phelps said the artwork was commissioned to capture an Indigenous perspective on the changing climate and drought.
“Through Bernard’s artwork, we wanted to showcase an Indigenous viewpoint on the evolving climate and the challenges posed by drought,” he said.
