Singing Salt Water Country (2014)

According to John Bradley whose book  “Singing Salt Water Country”  (interpreting and transcribing  the elders of Carpentaria at the top end of  Australia songs into English) it occurred to him that *Kujika  (kee ju ga) –  the word the elders used meant “Moving the force of law through and into the country or, rather seen as the product of Dreaming Ancestors’ actions.

And so I understand that I must let my drawings and paintings in this series sing “Kujika”. My love of country will help me sing – keep the songs sacred – sing with them.  We live in mean times and country is suffering. It is up to us to bring it to life to help the desert flower again.  To fill the water holes with fish.  Clear and clean water – give the birds free flight and the muddy flats nourish hungry creatures.  

The book gives me an insight into the makings of (Song and Country) –  to follow the ideas and thoughts of the elders of our First Nation  –  to travel there in MY OWN own dreaming.  Put them into my drawings and paintings. There is some of it in my heart which has been resting there. I place myself in front of my drawings and paintings –  I let them sing to me. 

According to some elders in the Carpentaria the rain makers were killed off. “They killed off all of the old rain makers in the 1890’s thereabouts.”