STORY - No Language No People

"So many of our Indigenous languages have been lost and this is a sad fact. I know from my own experience that I was not taught my language as my Elders were forbidden to speak it. This denial of language has had a devastating impact on our culture and is why language is important. It must be kept alive through the generations. "Wiray Naiyang Wiray Mayiny" (No Language, No People).

In my painting, the single black dots on the white background depict the 130 plus languages already lost. The circle in the black top dotted area in the top left corner represents our ancestors. The single dots on the black background are the 120 endangered languages still spoken today.

The gathering symbol in the middle represents all Indigenous people coming together and sharing the importance of our language. The Wedge-Tail Eagle is my own Totem but in this painting it represents Strength and Courage over the languages and how important it is to protect them."