Community Art Project
by Tristan Epstein & Braydon Byers from SPARX magazine
Roy Stewart, a respected Koori elder, passed away seven years ago but not before
having impressed upon his daughter, Fiona, the importance of re-establishing traditional
Koori culture in his home-town, Gerringong.
Fiona is planning to convert the stretch of toilet blocks on the beaches of
Gerringong and Gerroa into a series of canvases to showcase her father's story. "Finishing
off the Dreaming of Gerringong", she says. Fiona is hoping that doing so will bring to the
public an awareness of the necessary, not luxurious, nature of Koori life.
Fiona hopes to eventually establish a public tour of the paintings in their entirety.
In undertaking this project, she is sharing her knowledge of a culture that is thousands
of years old as part of the celebrations around Gerringong's 150th birthday. "It's about
survival," she says of the mural that is now in its early stages of production.
"Spearing fish and collecting shell fish are part of the Koori dreaming, and things
that my parents did."
The mural will include not only these survival skills, but also more basic ones. As a
third generation indigenous resident, Fiona has had direct access to traditions but
doesn't "get stressed out about trying to find culture." However, she emphasises that "the
earth has moved too much," and that communication is difficult. "Sometimes it seems that
people look without learning or listen without hearing", she says.
Leigh Hooker, who works in a reconciliation group with Fiona, agrees. "With [my
husband] Russell, I still get surprised by how different the communication is. Sometimes
he calls the [our] kids with a bird whistle."
Leigh, a practicing artist, thinks that art is away of dealing with the drugs and alcohol
issues that affect some aboriginal communities. "I'm planning an artwork that uses a
series of suitcases, some filled with paint, some with shards of broken glass. Art can be
a great emotional tool."
While new housing estates are looking to change the face of Gerringong, the aboriginal
community has been evolving as well. Leigh mentions the influence of Maori workers
imported by landowners in Berry in the 17th century, and Fiona the crossing over of
different Australian traditions. "Culture passes from man to woman and woman to man, she
explains. "My kids are learning some songs and dances from the Gerringong area, about
skills and hunting."
While only one mural has been funded so far, Leigh and Fiona have grand plans for the
communication of indigenous culture in the area. In addition to painting all the toilet
blocks, as far south as Gerroa, with a complete Dreamtime narrative, including fishing,
diving and recreation, they would like to see a walking track installed around the cliffs
to Kiama. Most importantly, for Fiona, the middens along the coast need to be protected.
She says, "But sometimes white eyes can't see what black eyes see."
Mural on the toilet
block at northern end of Werri Beach
Mural on the toilet block, southern end of Werri Beach
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