For this piece, I wanted to incorporate both First Nations history and culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. I am a proud Aboriginal descendant myself, and when it comes to art, this is my way of truly representing who I am and where I come from. Indigenous art is a beautiful thing, and I love creating artworks for people to observe and enjoy, You Belong to This Land, explores the rich history and pride First Nations peoples have with their culture. It tells the story of connection to land, sea, our native animals, plants and country (tribe wise), and how it will always be embedded in our dna. It portrays the beauty and diversity of our culture and I wanted to show how beautiful culture can be when embraced together as one community.
The community engagement process I had to do was, I had to receive permission from Torres Strait Islander Elders in order to show and represent them within my Torres Strait Islander design. I had the help and guidance of my TSI uncle in laws, of how to appropriately incorporate certain aspects of Islander art as I am not Islander myself and unfamiliar.
