Attending Aunty Sharron mirii Bell’s Bunyingganha Album launch today was deadly. I’m so grateful to be able to contribute as part of the Pumicestone Indigenous Education & Employment Council.
Many local community attended including Leeanne Enoch MP, Councillor Brooke Savige, local Elders and TO’s, Bribie Island Nature Festival, TreeCreate Studio and Nature Nose at the beautiful grounds of the Bribie Island Community Kindy.
The event was beautifully MC’d, had jarjums dancing and we heard beautiful stories from one of Aunty Sharron’s daughts and Leeanne Enoch MP. Aunty Sharron sang us beautiful songs that nurture and centre our jarjums, well being and healing.
Such an amazing event, lots of love, care and support shown to my deadly tidda Sharron.
I had the most amazing opportunity earlier this month provided by the Healing Foundation and Teralba Park Stolen Generations group.
I was privileged to attend events commemorating the 18th Anniversary of the National Apology made by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to survivors of the Stolen Generation. I joined over 130 participants including many survivors for 3 nights in Canberra, listening, connecting and sharing. We learned about the lack of justice and healing and the trauma that remains. The inadequate access to culturally safe aged care options and the reluctance of a particular state to not deliver or prioritise redress to survivors, many who have passed away.
Inspiring was listening to Nana Ruth Hegarty 97 years old speak to the participants brought by the Healing Foundation and many politicians at a Morning Tea at Parliament House. Her passion for truthtelling evident. We then watched the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese deliver the Close the Gap report with only 4 out of 18 targets being met in 2026. Nothing there to be proud of.
We were provided with a beautiful dinner MC’d by Yorta Yorta Elder Kutcha Edwards, a Stolen Generation Survivor. His painful story delivered to us in song.
On our last day we attended the official Apology breakfast at Parliament House with around 500 people. David Williams (Wakka Wakka) on the Yidaki barefoot was a powerful opening. The Bribie Island connection again happening with performance by Opera singer Deborah Cheetham composing music about Bongaree and his last years. Speech by the CEO of The Message Stick and CEO Link Up were both meaningful and honest.
I met many other Wakka Wakka mob there. I feel privileged to have been given that opportunity and thankful to the Healing Foundation for their meaningful and necessary work.
Just prior to the end of 2025 the opportunity arose to help support our jarjums, creatives and community on Yarun (Bribie Island). My daughter and many other young jarjums were lucky enough to be included in the Canvas 2 Catwalk event co-ordinated by Bribie Island Nature Festival (BINF). BINF is an annual festival that amplifies the natural beauty and creativity of Yarun. Jarjums (over an 18 month period) created their own designs with Red Ridge The Label, and then modelled these designs at their very own Canvas 2 Catwalk Fashion Parade. Such a highlight and opportunity for our jarjums.
At the end of 2025 I was inspired by my dear friend Tracey from TreeCreate Studios at her Weaving Water Residency held at Woorim over 11 days. Learning, sharing and connecting with artists (some were international) and visiting beautiful local beaches and places such as Nungeena gave participants a meaningful connection (to place and people). The flow of the residency also gave many opportunities for Aboriginal Elders, young people and artists to participate/share.
I shared the designs and a video made of the Canvas 2 Catwalk project at the Weaving Water residency. This brought firm feelings back that the project didnt quite feel finished. Our jarjums have been invited to participate in a fashion parade at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2026, responding to the theme, Say Something (Reclamation and Regeneration). We are partnered again with BINF and so excited to be a part of YarunYung designs.
Watch this space, exciting opportunities are on their way!
Saturday night holiday fun in Magandjin with my boys who have been stuck at home while we are at work. We started our visit at GOMA, to Archie Moore’s kith and kin. The sheer scale of the family tree is incredible. The stack of coronial file documents in the pool of water in the middle of the floor is imposing and sobering. Unfortunately missed the Artist Talk earlier in the day.
We then walked through West End, briefly through Aboriginal Art Co, up Fish Lane for Hashtag Burgers & Waffles. The boys loving the laneway with lights, cafes and eateries along the way. Making our way to Montague Road, walked boys past a couple of tiny spaces, where I believe blackfulla community radio used to broadcast from. We then arrived at the new ProppaNow Whichway space for the Blackfulla Poetry Salon.
The space was very intimate for a poetry reading. The first poet and musician Aurora Liddle-Christie (Arrernte / Jamaican) had us captivated with her rhythmic verses. Otis Carmichael (Waanyi) invited the audience in with his story and Waanyi language. Cheryl Leavy (Kooma and Nguri) (and Children’s book writer) delivered her poetry about the criminalisation of our people, engaging the audience with the stories behind her poetry.
There was some good energy / deadly artist / curator mob in that room with ProppaNow Collective members Vernon AhKee, Gordon Hookey, Tony Albert plus Archie Moore, Djon Mundine and Judy Watson attending. Some lucky door winners took home a used paint brush (used by Gordon Hookey). Thoroughly enjoyed the event and energy of the night.
Boys and I then saw Skylore – Nieergoo : Spirit of the Whale, a light drone show displayed over the Brisbane River. Tribal Experiences (Yuggera man Shannon Ruska) shared the cultural story about how the Islands of Moreton Bay formed. The animals including an eagle and whale lit up the sky. This was the last night of the show for Brisbane Festival. Thousands of families watched Skylore and I couldnt help but feel happy that the drones are way more environmentally friendly than fireworks, and happy that this cultural story had such a huge audience. My boys said the show was epic!
I have been listening to many podcasts of late. I was listening to 98.9FM Black Knowing program each week that discussed Indigenous intellectual sovereignty and black politics. Prior to (several years ago), I LOVED Wild Black Women with Dr Chelsea Watego and Angelina Hurley. Now working with predominently criminalised young people, I have started regularly tuning into
Free Her by Sisters Inside (by Deb Kilroy and Tabitha Lean) – To listen and learn from formerly incarcerated women.
Read the Play by Professor Chelsea Watego and Dr David Singh. Listening and learning about Indigenous Critical Race Theory by way of speakers, conversations, interviews and dissussions.
Them Yarns by Carly Wallace and Aaron Nagas. Learn and listen to yarns, discussions , insights on black community plus some great cracked stories!
As much as I love to listen to music, it is so deadly to be able to listen to podcasts like these to refuel and recharge my brain and thoughts.
Tune in, learn and listen each week, feels productive to be listening and learning each week.
While facilitating my weaving class I have met some wonderful people. One woman is Veronika who raised an idea about starting a Book Club that explores Aboriginal &/ Torres Strait Islander authors. Veronika has got the Book Club started at Caboolture Library and invited me in to read and share with the group.
I met the group who were all very welcoming and engaged. I started by reading, Lean on Me, that was published on AustLit. This short story explored some experiences of my childhood as well as when I left home and moved to a student hostel for Aboriginal &/ TSI students. This was a time of great personal development and good memories.
My second reading was, ‘Missing Home,’ published in Overland Journal (Highly Commended in the Oodgeroo Nunuccal Poetry Prize) in 2017, which explored themes of missing home environments (sights and smells) while the main character is pregnant and experiencing hardship.
Lastly I read Out of Choices, published in the Rabbit Poetry journal, Indigenous edition. The themes explored hopelessness and facing the inevitable moments in life when you are out of choices.
Its been some time since I have read my poetry. I thoroughly enjoyed reading at Caboolture Community Book Club.
Some of my fave parts of CIAF25 – Aunty Philomena & Uncle Bully; Aunty Philomena’s weaving; Sonia Carmichael’s copper dilly bags & Possum skin bag workshop with daught and mumred 🌟
CIAF25 – After many years, returned to CIAF held at the Tanks, Botanical Gardens, Cairns. Lucky to spend time with daught.
The weaving at Cairns Art Gallery was truly special. Aunty Philomena Yeatman and Sonia Carmichael’s works were both exceptional. Notable highlights also were Brian Robinson’s large animation at Northsite Contemporary Arts – a visual treat!
The fashion shows, Look, and Listen, were not to be missed. Knowing the time put into the show, Canvas to Catwalk, that daught took part in (design & modelling) last year on Bribie as part of Bribie Island Nature Festival, made us appreciate the designs, adornments, models and music.
Our masterclass workshop with mumred (Samala Cronin) was several hours of creating, listening and yarning with some deadly women eager to learn and connect.
This event was a wonderful cultural immersion was made possible from the #flyingartsalliance
This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.’
2025 has been a year of highs and lows, so lets focus on the highs. Since my last blog (a long time ago), I no longer work within education, but still working with young people. Work has progressively become busier, my jarjums have gotten older. One has finished school, one nearly finished primary school.
I completed my Diploma in Creative Indigenous Writing at CDU while juggling work and family, enjoying creating poetry and some short stories. Completing this and transitioning into what feels like full time work has been all consuming. In 2018, I presented some of my poetry at the Queensland Poetry Festival, pushing myself with public speaking (with my little family looking on).
Now living in an urban area, working in and for community is both rewarding and meaningful. Creating has taken on different forms by way of weaving and connecting with artists in community to run art workshops for our jarjums.
Am grateful for new friendships and being reminded of the stories that are still needing to be explored and recorded.
I was lucky enough to attend a workshop for the Queensland Poetry Festival with poet Ali Cobby Eckermann, held at the State Library. I was battling the flu and hadn’t had the best of days – but the two hour workshop was worth the trip. During the workshop we did a number of writing exercises and contributed these to the group. Ali informed us all after we all spoke for the first time – that the exercise was designed to make us all feel equal. Ali had a way about her that made me feel quite comfortable in her presence.
Our writing excercises culminated in a final piece where we again contributed out aloud to the group. I enjoyed hearing the other attendees speak and have the courage to do so.
During the workshop I noticed that Ali was quite informative with a number of quotes I had to copy down.
“Our best armour is to know ourselves and to love ourselves.”
“Aboriginal poetry is world poetry.”
“Listen to your inner voice.”
“You have to learn to trust your writing.”
After the workshop I attended Ali Cobby Eckermann – A Night by the Fire. I hadn’t visited this space before – although I have been to Kuril Dhagan many times, and will be back to sit around the campfire. Ali spoke so wisely and is a true performer – she had the intimate audience enthralled. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon and was truly inspired by this amazing poet / writer.
Last month my family and I travelled to Cairns for CIAF. I knew that my jarjums would enjoy it and they did. They loved the art exhibition in the terminal liner (although I had to be wary of the two young boys near the art). My daughter loved the pop up art stalls and so did I. (I have a beautiful dilly bag from Moa Island hanging on my wall!) The whole family loved the dancing which I could have watched all day. My small ones LOVED the playground outside of the festival and would have been happy just to have gone their for the 3 days.
My only complaint is that I didn’t get to see enough or do any of the art workshops but at the time that was okay because I got to go to two other events that were next level. (I wont be mentioning the Bunnies v Cowboys game because of the score 😦 ).
WANDAN Fashion Show – I bought tickets for my daughter (who is 11) and I. We are not fashionistas but love live performances. This show was exciting from beginning to end. The music by DJ Mau Power set the mood as soon as we got there. (There is one track that I found later on by The Merindas that I couldn’t get out of my head). There were 3 dancers including Hans Ah Wang that moved throughout the show – they were hypnotising to watch and full of amazing energy. I was impressed by the sisters & brothers modelling. I loved seeing the designers and felt their pride when they appeared at the end of their set. It was undoubtedly beautiful seeing the Aunty from Mornington Island with their distinctive designs dance with Hans Ah Wang – such a beautiful moment. I also loved the ending where the models and designers all relaxed and let loose for a moment. During the show I could not keep my eyes off the wearable art – the necklaces, the earrings and headpieces. This definitely inspired me to try my hand at weaving this year. I highly recommend the fashion show – it was fantastic!
MY NAME IS JIMI – I also took my son and daughter to see My Name is Jimi, a play by Jimi Bani and his family. Seeing his mother, grandmother, brothers and his son on stage was heartwarming. This play had it all – education on Torres Strait Islander culture, humour, dancing – such strong storytelling. It really appealed to both of my children who wont be forgetting the play anytime soon. On my return I also took 3 high school children to My Name is Jimi to the Billie Brown Theatre, South Brisbane for work. I wasn’t sure how they would react but each loved the play and really connected with the story. One of the mothers of the student that I took said that it planted a seed with her child who was hungry for more knowledge of his ancestry. I also enjoyed the play just as much the second time around!
This was such a great weekend that I have another girlfriend wanting to come up next year! Hope I get to go!
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