Awareness raising ‘kaya’ campaign

This campaign aims to raise awareness of our Elders and language in Western Australia. Starting with Wardandi country in Western Australia using a message in both Wardandi language and English with the photograph of a local Elder we want to use billboard to promote the message in Margaret River to start with then  in various towns across WA using their own language and photographing their elders.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, for they hold the memories, the traditions and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the nation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this work may contain images, voices and stories of deceased persons. In viewing those images and words, we celebrate the lives of those who have passed away.

“Wannang Biridge, Light of the peppermint tree” brings together the multiple collaborations of photo artist Martine Perret with Elder Vivian Brockman Webb, Mitchella Hutchins, Mabenan Hutchins and Majinda Hutchins with music composer and video/sound artist Roly Skender. ‘Wannang Biridge’, is a digital projection that combines existing and new portraiture of Wardandi Elders with photomicrographs of the land created during Perret’s SymbioticA residency in June 2022. The subjects and their families played an intrinsic role in the selection of material for ”Wannang Biridge”.

Each participant has authorised the use of their narratives, songs and photographs in this project. Transference is part of Perret’s continuing collaboration and consultation with Indigenous Elders from the Goldfields and the Southwest of Western Australia which investigates the universal idea that everything is connected, and how the memory of the land intrinsically passes through and between us.

“Wannang Biridge” means ‘light of the peppermint tree’ in the Wardandi language of the Margaret River region. Perret worked closely with Vivian Brockman Webb and Mitchella Hutchins on Wardandi country (Margaret River), collecting samples of soil, buds, leaves and bark of an old peppermint tree close to Perret’s studio at The Farm Margaret River. Perret remarks that ‘the peppermint tree has been a powerful source of inspiration since I started work at The Farm.’

Link to video:

https://photos.onedrive.com/share/DF29A3D9F008ACBC!1058074?cid=DF29A3D9F008ACBC&resId=DF29A3D9F008ACBC!1058074&authkey=!ACD0vQQMuSpiv4s&ithint=video&e=rVqF1z

Link to project’s details:

https://issuu.com/martineperret/docs/wannang_biridge_12pp_final