Merindah-Gunya (Bayley Mifsud)

Hopkins River

This artwork represents the Hopkins River on Gunditjmara country. I spent a lot of my childhood playing in and on the Hopkins river, my nan and pop live in a small country town called Ellerslie which is located just outside of Warrnambool. The Hopkins flows through the regional centre of Warrnambool; and the river passes by the end of the Great Ocean Road near Allansford.

Eastern Maar

This artwork represents Eastern Maar country. Eastern Maar country is located in South-West Victoria.

Ngayt Poonan

This piece represents a long journey in becoming content in my life. It shows the balance of my life both back on Country in Warrnambool and the Bunurong land I am living on in Melbourne. It shows my friends and family who have been with me along the way, supporting me whilst I grow into the woman I am now. The surrounding meeting place symbolise the important places where I have learnt life lessons and shows those who were with me at those times. The animal tracks represent my connection to the land I am on and acknowledges the Traditional Owners.

Merindah-Gunya

This piece represents my journey of self love and independence as an Aboriginal woman. Despite it being an ongoing and at times emotional journey, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the beautiful people around me. You will see me represented as the large aqua circle, and my journey by the line trailing the circle. Along the way are my friends and family, with the surrounding dots symbolising our spiritual connection. Having restricted physical interactions and connections with others during Covid-19 has been difficult. Although, it has allowed me to appreciate the importance of my friendships and family within my journey of development. It is important to see where we have been in order to recognise how far we have come and we are today.

Kang 'Mountain'

This artwork represents the mountains at the Grampians National Park which is a nature reserve in Victoria. My family and I would often go on our weekends to the Brabmuk Cultural Centre to emerge in Aboriginal culture through art, music and dance.

Koorrookee 'Grandmother'

(NAIDOC 2023)

This piece represents my beautiful grandmother Maude, the large woman symbol in the middle of the painting. In the top right corner is a star, representing her mother Amy (my great nanna) who is in Dreamtime. I come from a strong line of Aboriginal women and I am so grateful for their strength and pride in our culture throughout tough times.

There are then 5 people in the bottom corner, representing my dad, his three brothers and one sister. There are then 16 children, representing the 16 grandchildren of my nan's. The dreamy background is symbolic of stars in the sky, For Our Elders who are in Dreamtime.

Our Future, Together

(NAIDOC Week 2024)

When I was creating this artwork for NAIDOC 2024, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted the story to be for the piece. The theme 'Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud' means a lot of different things to different people. For me, I see this as a very strong and powerful theme to highlight that we (Indigenous people) need to be strong, loud and proud, now more than ever. We need to keep the conversation going, about not only our past, but our future. I believe that everyone has a role to play to achieve true Reconciliation.

The artwork tells a story about the past, present and the future. It shows three journey lines and three full meeting places, one for each of those times.

We often get carried away and forget what our goal is. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strong and powerful and I hope that this theme allows them to feel that, if they were not already. For non-Indigenous people, I hope that they can wear this artwork to show their support and respect for my people.

Peeneeyt (Strong)

This artwork tells a story of strength. I was back home on Kirrae Whurrong country a few weeks ago (August) and my Uncle was telling me a story of how him and my nan were moved around a lot when they were little.

There was one story in particular that really stuck with me, one where when he was 5 they moved to Naarm (Melbourne). When they arrived they were told they were not allowed to stay because they were Aboriginal, but they also were not allowed to get back on the train home (to Warrnambool). Him, my nan and their mum (my granny) had to walk from Melbourne to Warrnambool, but only during the night when no one could see them. I asked why it had to be dark and he said "we would have got shot".

Their strength and their connection to culture amazes me, when they grew up in a time where it was so difficult to live, even day by day.

Coast

This piece represents the coast, on the Great Ocean Road.

The Great Ocean Road is on Eastern Maar Country, my peoples country.

I have been told so many stories about my Elders walking from the Grampians (in winter), to the Great Ocean Road (in Summer).

This piece was inspired by those stories, of the windy roads, the blue water and the beautiful sand.

Gumtree

This artwork symbolises the pattern in a Gum tree (Eucalyptus tree).

I was inspired to paint this when my nan was showing me photos of when she was younger, in the bottom of a hollow gumtree.

Ngootyoong (Joy)

This artwork depicts a story about connection between land, water and people. The large meeting place is symbolic of Southland and the community that gather there daily. The story shows the Southlands journey through the past, present & future visualised through the three journey lines.

The story pays tribute to the Country which it is located on. The lands of the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. The meeting places connected by water show the coastline, bordering the Traditional lands of the Bunurong people. These waters have been a great contributor in allowing their culture to continue as the longest living culture on the planet.

Wata (Follow)

This artwork represents the journey of leadership.

As this person goes through life, growing and developing, people begin to follow them. They are followed because of the dreams they pursue, a dream that we as a Nation will be reconciled. A true leader does not try to control someone and what they think, they inspire them. They are confident to stand alone and use courage to make bold decisions despite what others may think of them.

Leehan (Heart)

This artwork symbolises my connection to my Aboriginal culture, reflecting two pivotal moments in my life that deepened this bond. The first occurred at the age of 9 when I confronted with racism, and the second during my high school years. Despite the pain associated with these experiences, I consistently harboured an immense sense of pride in my uniqueness. I was always told stories of my nan’s resilience during her upbringing, and enduring such challenges myself, only brought me closer to her. My connection with my nan is deeply spiritual, an affection that is hard to put into words. This piece portrays a representation of my nan and I, emphasising our 'hearts' and spirits that forever bind us.

My Path

This artwork illustrates the various paths I've travelled in my life, each holding its own unique value. A significant portion of my life has been spent by water, symbolised throughout the piece to reflect that deep connection. Some paths have been easy, others long and challenging, and some are still ongoing, yet all are important in shaping who I am.

Ngoontook (Rain)

Ngoontook 'Rain, big' This artwork represents rain splashing down, causing ripples on the ocean. I was inspired to paint this when I went back home to Warrnambool during winter and saw it raining at the beach. I find it so calming seeing the pattern the rain made, it made me reflect on how something so simple can be so beautiful and calming.