I first met Beeliargu Wilman Noongar Elder Joe Northover in Collie. Straight away I knew there was something special and magical about him and I knew that one day I would try and capture that in a painting.
Ange Rolling Stills and I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Joe where we shared plenty of laughs and stories as Ange photographed him.
For Joe, his identity is rooted in his connection to boodja (country), moort (family) and kaartdijin (knowledge). This multifaceted concept of identity drew me to Joe and I wanted to paint him in his role as an Elder who is entrusted to pass kaartdijin (knowledge) to the next generation to help imbue a sense of pride in their identity.
Joe carries his traditional digging stick with him as he journeys through life so it was important to include this sacred tool, together with ochre markings on his face, showing his ongoing connection to culture and country. Thank you Joe.
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