Key Points
- First Nation’s artwork is diverse and is not limited to dot painting.
- Art was one medium in which cultural stories, spiritual beliefs and knowledge were passed down generations, and is continued today.
- These artworks help artists feel connected to their Country.
- Symbols are up to the interpretations of the artists using them.
O ata tusi a tagata muamua o nisi o ata aupito tuai ma leva ona molimauina i le lalolagi - o se tasi o ata na tusia i se papa, oldest rock painting na tusia i le 17,500 tausaga ua mavae.
Ma o nei ata o se auala e tu'u fa'asolo mai ai tala tu'u ma fagogo a tagata muamua Aboriginal ma tagata atumotu Torres Strait Islands i auga tupulaga.
O nei ata e fa'asino tonu i nofoaga ma nu'u na tusia ai e tagata muamua.
Peita'i na fa'aalia e Maria Watson-Trudgett, o se tama'ita'i Koori o tagata Wiradyuri, e tele ina sese le fa'auigaina e tagata o ata a tagata muamua.
Maria Watson-Trudgett is a First Nations consultant, a self-taught artist, and a storyteller Credit: Maria Watson-Trudgett Credit: Courtesy of Richmond Fellowship Queensland, 2019
“O ata i lalo o tu ma aga a tagata muamua, e fa'ailoga pe maka ai se mea faigaluega, la'au ma pap e iloa ai se fanua tapu, po'o se sauniga fa'apitoa e vali ai le pa'u o le tino o se tagata."
Na ia ta'ua fo'i, o ata togitogi (dot-painting) fa'ato'a ta'atele i le 1970s i le Western Desert art movement from Papunya, ao se nu'u po tagata muamua Aboriginal i Alice Springs. O le taimi fo'i lea na fa'ato'a fa'aaoga ai vali fa'apapalagi e tusi ai ata i luga o laupapa.
E tele itu'aiga tusiata e fa'amatala ai se tala poo se fagogo i tu ma aga a tagata muamua. O le 'upu Aboriginal art, o so'o se ata e tusia e se tagata muamua e feso'ota'i ai lea ata ma lona fa'asinomaga i fanua ma ana tu ma aga'ifanua.Maria Watson-Trudgett
Aganu'u fa'asoa
Na amata ona tusia ata e Maria Watson-Trudgett i le 2009 o se auala e a'afilemu ai lona mafaufau mai le tele o 'avega i ana meaa'oga i le Iunivesite. Na ia iloa ai le taua o le tusiata i lona silafia o lona tulaga fa'aletagata o se tagata muamua.
O le fa'asoaina o se tala ma isi tagata, atoa ai le fa'aolaolaian o a'u tu ma aga'ifanua. O se so'otaga i o'u tua'a ma auga tupulaga ua mavae, ma le 'ele'ele na ou fanau mai ai.Maria Watson-Trudgett
O le tamaita'i o Arkeria Rose Armstrong, o tagata Gamilaraay/Bigambul ma Yorta Yorta, na te manatuaina tala ma fagogo na ta'uina atu e ona matua ma matua o ona matua ia te ia.
O le tina o lona tina, o se lo'omatua Gamilaraay, ma na iai sona tomai i le tusiata i le oneone.
“Sa masani ona ia fa'amatalaina mai se tala ae o tusi sana ata i le oneone."
O tala nei na pasi mai i auga tupulaga e aofia ai tala o le foafoaga, manu, fetu o le lagi, ma le olaga o tagata muamua i tauaga anamua.
Art has always been part of Arkeria Rose Armstrong’s life. Credit Arkeria Rose Armstrong
Mo se tu ma aganu'u e fa'aauau mai lea auga tupulaga i le isi auga tupulaga, e tatau ona fa'asoa ma tatau ona fa'atino. O le fa'asoa o le talanoa ma fa'atino i galuega fai e pei o le tusiata.Arkeria Rose Armstrong
So'otaga ma aganu'u
O Davinder Hart o se tusiata mai le Noongar Country, Western Australia. O ia na ola a'e i Adelaide ae na toe maua se so'otaga ma ona tagata ina ua matua.
Na i afa'aalia le faigata o lona olaga i le taimi o laititit i le faigata ona maua sana galuega, ma le taimi na ia fa'aaogaina ai vailaau faasaina.
Peita'i o le suiga i lona olaga na aofia ai le amataga ona fiafia e tusiata ma o se tasi lea o vaega opo mata'upu e faavae ai ata o lo'o ia tusia.
Na ia ta'ua, o le tusiata o se auala e fo'ia ai ona fa'afitauli o le soifuaga.
Davinder Hart at Saudi Arabia, UN gala dinner, 2023. Credit Davinder Hart
