16 News from and the Pacific Regional Editors The Region Extending Practices of Translation Edwin Jurriëns and Andy Fuller and Collaboration

Makassar and Northern Australia. An artistic perspective of the shared history

Lily Yulianti Farid

n December 2018, three Yolŋu artists from was the only reason for me and my wife who Yirrkala, Northern Australia and three artists is also an artist to plan a visit to Australia. Ifrom , participated in I never thought that it was the historical an artist exchange program organised by relationship between Makassan and Northern the Wilin Centre, Victorian College of the Australia that would bring me to Australia Arts, The University of . The centre and then to create an artwork after the visit.” worked together with Rumata’ Art space in Nurabdiansyah Ramli, one of the other Makassar and Buku-Larrŋgay Art Centre in Makassan artists, learned about his family Yirrkala to invite Adi Gunawan (visual artist), members who had sailed to Australia to fish Nurabdiansyah Ramli (visual designer and the waters off the coast. “I feel the connection, researcher) and Muhammad Rais (filmmaker) however, I have never had opportunities to from Makassar, and Arian Pearson (musician further explore the history as the information and sound producer), Barayuwa Mununggurr I have received from Australia is mainly about and Dion Marimunuk Gurruwiwi (radio DJ) from higher education and contemporary arts.” Yirrkala. The creative practice research project The three artists from Yirrkala had funded by the Australia-Indonesia Centre previously learned about the presence and aims to facilitate cultural exchange between influence of Makassan seafarers through the young artists, based on the historical paintings, drawings, objects and Yolŋu relationship between Makassan seafarers traditions and oral stories, and so their and the First Nations peoples of the north visit to Makassar (2-5 December 2018) was coast of the Australian continent between the an opportunity “to confirm” the cultural mid-18th century and early 20th century. knowledge they had about Makassar. As one of the artists, Arian Pearson, described: After the artists spent time in both Makassar “Our parents, grandparents and great and East Arnhem Land, they returned to their grandparents shared the stories, including respective countries where they were given those about the marriages between our people time to reflect on their experience through and the Makassans. They often reminded us the creation of artworks. This essay follows that we have cousins and relatives in Makassar. the creative process and personal experiences This is my first time visiting Makassar and of the three Makassan artists who joined seeing the trepangs [sea cucumber] in a village the historical research-based art project. outside Makassar; then I learned about the It demonstrates how the art project functions traditional boats and listened to the locals as an effective medium to spread knowledge on speak in the Makassan language. For the shared history between the two neighbouring first time, the history felt so real.” countries, both on personal and artistic levels, In a focus group discussion after the and that the learning of the history of pre- visit, questions about who Australians are European contact in Australia has changed the (are they white, Indigenous, migrants?) and Makassan artists’ perspectives on Australia. about the history of Aboriginal people and Artist Nurabdiansyah Ramli visited a local trepang processing centre in Galesong, South Sulawesi. Indigenous arts, dominated our discussion Photo by Lily Yulianti Farid. as the visiting artists were overwhelmed with New learning, old history the rich tradition, art and history of Yolŋu, “Our understanding of Australia before however, through this project, we are learning Mural artist Adi Gunawan, one of the its connection with Makassan trepangers the visit was focused on Australia as a white new things about knowledge and technology three young Makassan artists selected for the and Chinese traders, as well as issues and country as well as a land of hope for migrants; transfers between Makassans and Yolŋu program, commented: “I have learned about challenges faced by Indigenous people a country with world class education – because people. I am lost in my own history.” the street art in Australian cities and that in Australia today. many of our friends have studied, are studying In an international symposium to open or are planning to study in Australia. However, the artist exchange in Makassar, the initiator through this research-based art project, we of this program, Prof. Richard Frankland from have entered the pre-European period, and our the Wilin Centre, explained that the project ancestors played a very significant role during mainly focuses on how young generations this period. We did not learn this at school. in Makassar and Arnhem Land respond to the Our Yolŋu friends in Yirrkala and Bawaka shared history through the arts, since in both were enthusiastic to share their stories about countries, many students and people in general Makassan influences in their ceremonies, are not aware about our shared history. songs, dances and art works. Meanwhile, as The three artists list “contact and friendship the Makassans, we came to Northern Australia with Australian Indigenous people” as the with almost zero knowledge about the most valuable thing gained from the program. relationship”, commented Muhammad Rais. “Australia is the top destination for education. Many young Indonesians study in major Australian cities, but this project has led Creation of artworks us in a very different direction because our The three artists worked on a collaborative first encounter with Australians was with the art project exploring key elements they learned Yolŋu people, the owners of this part of the during the visit: trepang, boats and ships, continent, and not Australians that we have friendships between Makassan seafarers seen at popular tourist destinations in and Yolŋu people, traditional ceremonies, or on the popular media. That is the beauty and the sea that connects the two cultures. of this project. The arts serve as an effective Adi Gunawan decided to produce a relief way to learn about our shared-history”, about the Yolŋu tradition to bid the Makassan concluded Nurabdiansyah Ramli. seafarers farewell, with both groups sitting on the beach watching the sunset together. Lily Yulianti Farid is co-founder Normally Makassans would stay in Arnhem and co-director of Rumata’ Artspace Land for six months, to catch and process Makassar, a published author and art the trepangs until ready to be sold to Chinese event producer. Her published books traders. Each time the season ended, they include Family Room (Lontar Publisher) and the Indonesian translation of Anita would bid a farewell and attend the sunset Roddick’s autobiography Business as ceremony. Muhammad Rais also explored Unusual (Gramedia Pustaka Utama). the traditional ceremony in his video mapping project, working with smoke, lights and colours. Nurabdiansyah created a replica of a Makassan traditional boat [Paddewakkang] Notes for his artwork. “My visit to Arnhem Land was a mind-blowing one. It was the first time I 1 The Makassans caught and processed traced down my ancestors’ footprints, seeing trepang [sea cucumbers] from (at least) 1780, off the north coast of Australia, the tamarind trees that they planted hundreds and sold the commodity to Chinese of years ago, listening to oral histories and traders. See Macknight, C.C. 1976. The tales told by our Yolŋu brothers and sisters, Voyage to Marege’: Makassar Trepangers finding the remnants of clay pots brought by in Northern Australia. Melbourne: Yolŋu and Makassan artists in Darwin. Photo by Lily Yulianti Farid. Makassans to Australia. The history is very old, Melbourne University Press.