|
|
Art of Reconciliation
In 1988 a new parliament building was opened in Canberra. In front of
the building is a large mosaic by Michael Nelson Tjakamarra. Tjakamarra is
one of the early Papunya artists. Commissioning the artist to create the
mosaic was seen as part of the government policy of Reconciliation. The
artist was not involved in any protest and this probably helped in his
selection. However, in September 1993, in the midst of a bitter struggle
around land rights, Michael Tjakamarra surrounded by a circle of
Aboriginal dancers removed the central stone of the mosaic as a way of
reclaiming it. He addressed the crowd saying:
|
White people. You don’t seem to understand.
[They] look at my work, all they see is a pretty painting. You,
the white people, took this country from us ... White people must
understand. This country is Aboriginal peoples homeland ... We
want to keep our culture strongly for our children’s children.
We cannot do this without our land because it is our land,
dreamings, stories, paintings – all tied to our land. This has
all been changed... The Government of Australia has not recognized
our people and our culture, and it is abusing my painting and my
people. I want to take my painting back to my people. |
Adapted from:
Nicoll, F. (1993). "The Art of Reconciliation: Art, Aboriginality
and the State." Meanjin 52(4): 705-718.
More information on the artist is provided by the Aboriginal
Desert Art Gallery |
|