Large print guide PLEASE RETURN WHEN YOU EXIT Linear Large print guide Powerhouse Museum Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences 500 Harris Street Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia + 61 2 9217 0111 © Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, 2019 © Artist statements rest with individual artists, 2019 maas.museum 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised this exhibition contains culturally sensitive material that may cause sadness, including records of people who have passed away. Colonial collecting practices often focused on the collector and not the collected. As a result, for much Indigenous cultural material held in museums there is limited information recorded and the creator is listed as ‘unknown’. As part of our commitment to truth-telling, we respectfully use the language ‘maker or artist not recorded’. 3 4 Contents Introduction 7 Adaptive resilience 23 Cultural warning 3 Collisions VR experience 28 Maningrida cultural material 37 Featured artists Pilbara artist on slow TV 38 Lorraine Connelly-Northey 24–25 Wailwan ceremony 40 Maree Clarke 11, 32–33 Aboriginal Enterprise Novelties 44 Mikaela Jade 16–17 Land rights posters 46 Glenda Nicholls 26–27 How old is this boomerang? 45 Nicole Monks 34–35 Mr Ngallametta Jnr 14–15 Other people Mr Ngallametta Snr 14 Charlie Brian 37 Wayne Quilliam 40–41 Charlie Gunbuna 37 Allery Sandy 38–39 Lucky Morton Kngwarreye 23 Lucy Simpson 42–43 Mick Kubarkku 37 Bernard Singleton 19–20 Anniebell Marrngamarrnga 36 Vicki West 30–31 David Mowaljarlai 6–9, 46 Nyarri Nyarri Morgan 28 Stories Bill Onus 44 Mapping and technology 10 Bruce Pascoe 18 Thap Yongk (law poles) 14 Mavis Holmes Petyarre 23 Micrographs of ochre samples 14 Ada Bird Petyarre 23 Aboriginal technology 18 Murandoo Yanner 22 The crocodile case 22 David Unaipon 12–13 5 ‘Deru genjan darr ngarwan dambun ju muna ling matungnya Unggurr ju guluman bienya narigu nagrunguma yu ngara ngarwanya.’ ‘When I’m on a high mountain looking out over Country my Unggurr (life-force) flows out from inside my body and I fall open with happiness.’ David Banggal Mowaljarlai OAM 6 Introduction Linear explores line and lineage within Indigenous cultural narratives and practices across science, technology, design and aesthetics. It honours 60,000 years of Indigenous creativity and ingenuity and brings together the unique, diverse and personal voices of leading Indigenous artists and knowledge-holders who share their understanding of culture and identity. At the core of this exhibition is Ngarinyin Elder David Mowaljarlai’s visual map of lines that tie this country together, culturally, spiritually and physically. These lines hold meaning beyond a mark on a map; they describe everything — Land, People and Story. Even though they seem to travel to the right, to the left or straight-ahead, the narrative lines are always crossed and deeply interconnected. 7 ‘I want to show you something. I David Mowaljarlai want to show you how all Aboriginal An activist, artist, philosopher and people in Australia are connected.’ linguist, David Banggal Mowaljarlai ‘If we share the stories of our OAM (1925–97) is considered one country with gudia (whitefella), of Australia’s greatest philosophers then they will have our country in and knowledge holders. Through his their hearts as we do, and they will words he shares his deep love, understand and love it, and never understanding and connection to damage it.’ all that is Country. A Ngarinyin senior lawman from the northern David Mowaljarlai Kimberley region of Western Australia, he was a member of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), and the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee of the West Australian Museum. He was Aboriginal of the Year in 1991 and made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993. Digital reproduction of photograph by Jutta Malnic, 1996, Malnic Mowaljarlai Archive Collection, the Berndt Museum of Anthropology. Image courtesy of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology 8 ‘Our country is living, breathing life. DAVID MOWALJARLAI Our land is reflected in us, and we 1925–97, Ngarinyin, Kunmunya, are reflected in the land.’ the Kimberley, Western Australia ‘Our past, present and future is all in the land, from creation time to Bandaiyan — The Body of future time — all at once.’ Australia, Corpus Australis, 1993 Digital reproduction of original David Mowaljarlai drawing, Malnic Mowaljarlai Archive Collection, the Berndt Museum of Anthropology. Image courtesy of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology © artist and artist’s family … The squares are the areas where the communities are represented, and their symbols and the languages of the different tribes in this country long-long time ago. The lines are the way the history stories travelled along these trade routes. They are all interconnected. It’s the pattern of the Sharing system. 9 Mapping and technology Mitchell’s theodolite Surveying instrument for In contrast to David Mowaljarlai’s measuring horizontal and vertical inherent way of knowing and seeing angles, made by Thomas Jones, Country, non-Indigenous explorers Charing Cross, London, United have used a range of complex tools Kingdom, 1827. Used by Sir Thomas and instruments to aid their own Mitchell, 1828–55. approach to mapping and wayfinding. Brass, glass, timber Despite this technology the journals Lent by NSW Department of Customer Service, of Surveyor General Sir Thomas Spatial Services Mitchell show he relied enormously on the knowledge of Aboriginal guides on his expeditions. They Journal and report helped him find water, choose the Compiled by NSW Surveyor General best routes, track lost livestock, Sir Thomas Mitchell during his acted as translators and alerted expedition to explore the course of him to danger. the Darling River, 1835. At a time in Australian history when Leather, paper, metal European explorers frequently Lent by Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW. perished on their travels, the Bequeathed by DS Mitchell, 1907 ultimate success of Mitchell’s journeys through New South Wales and Queensland might well be Boomerang propeller attributed to his Aboriginal Diagrams created by Sir Thomas companions and their knowledge Mitchell, 1848–54. of Country. Digital reproduction from original manuscript Image courtesy of Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW. Presented by Malcolm Henry Ellis, 1963 and 1965 10 MAREE CLARKE MAREE CLARKE b 1961, Mutti Mutti, Wemba Wemba, b 1961, Mutti Mutti, Wemba Wemba, Yorta Yorta, Boon Wurrung, south- Yorta Yorta, Boon Wurrung, south- east Australia east Australia Men in Mourning, 2011 Women in Mourning, 2011 Ritual and Ceremony series Ritual and Ceremony series Digital reproduction from gelatin silver Digital reproduction from gelatin silver photograph, 2019 photograph, 2019 Image courtesy of Maree Clarke and Image courtesy of Maree Clarke and Vivien Vivien Anderson Gallery Anderson Gallery I worked with 38 Aboriginal women I worked with 38 Aboriginal women and 45 Aboriginal men to explore and 45 Aboriginal men to explore traditional mourning processes traditional mourning processes including the making of Kopi caps including the making of Kopi caps (clay caps worn during mourning), (clay caps worn during mourning), body adornment and scarification … body adornment and scarification … For more works by Maree Clarke and her artist statement, see pages 32–33. 11 ‘An aeroplane can be manufactured David Unaipon that will rise straight into the air Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon from the ground by application of (1872–1967), the man on the the boomerang principle. Australian $50 note, was a The boomerang is shaped to rise in preacher, writer and a prolific the air according to the velocity inventor, who is often referred to with which it is propelled, and so as Australia’s Leonardo da Vinci. He can an aeroplane.’ drew a concept for a helicopter (inspired by the motion of a David Unaipon boomerang) 22 years before the first operational helicopter. He patented his mechanical shearing tool in 1909 and though it was adopted widely, the patent eventually lapsed, and he made no money from it. Between 1909 and 1944 he lodged nine patent applications for his other inventions, including a centrifugal motor and a multi-radial wheel, all of which lapsed. Unaipon Warriwaldi Tribe, Benjamin Edwin Minns, South Australia, 1924. Watercolour Lent by Dixson Galleries, State Library of NSW. Purchased JR Lawsons, Lot 431, 28 September 1996 12 Ngarrindjeri song Handheld shearing device David Unaipon singing traditional Design for handheld shearing Ngarrindjeri song, extract from device, by David Unaipon, 1909. Songs, word lists and cultural discussions from Victoria, New Memorandum from the Chief South Wales and south-east South Protector of Aboriginals to David Australia, recorded by Catherine J Unaipon, 30 May 1914. Ellis, 1935–96. Documents from Herbert Basedow Recording courtesy of Australian Institute of — Papers, 1856–1932, 1941, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Ellis Mitchell Library, State Library of Collection New South Wales. Running time: 5 minutes Boomerang Made by David Unaipon, Point Legendary Tales of Australian McLeay, South Australia, 1900–50. Aborigines Wood David Unaipon, vol 1 of manuscript Design and memo lent by Mitchell Library, State (left) and vol 2 of typescript (far Library of NSW, purchased from the Basedow right) of ‘Legendary Tales of family, August 1934. Boomerang lent by South Australian Aborigines’, 1924–25. Australian Museum. David Unaipon intended