At the beginning of September, the Irrungadji Women Artist's Group began their annual art project with Terra Rosa. The annual art project is a time for all the women to come together and share cultural knowledge with the younger generations. This year was a "Return to Country" camping trip for our senior matriarchs Amy French & Lily Long. This trip back to Karlamilyi was facilitated by Terra Rosa Consulting, and the brilliant Lincoln Mackinnon producing the media.
The first party of Terra Rosa representatives arrived a couple of days before departure to, organise and consult with the senior Irrungadji women about the trip back to Karlamilyi. It was determined that they would need to visit where Lily Long was born on the banks of the Rudall River, Warnman Country. Although the trip was only a few days those that attended thoroughly loved the trip!
When the women returned back to Nullagine, they began their Irrungadji painting project almost immediately! They decided on painting Jatarrngara, where Lily was born. Incredibly the two giant paperbark trees where she was born are still majestically watching over the Rudall River as they were when she was a baby. In her own words; “Karlamilyi River, big one. Sand hill, big one, another sandhills”.
The painting reveal to the Irrungadji community was especially personal, everyone coming down to see Lily's birthplace and celebrate the special Return to Country Project.
At the opening of the Mantingunya Art & Culture Centre, Chairman Bruce Booth said "There’s a lot of heritage on this story for us, big heritage story,… that’s why we won’t sell this painting, we keep it here, for us”.
Thank you to everyone involved in this years "Return to "Country" project, this includes Terra Rosa & Lincoln Mackinnon.