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Our Creative People

 See and hear what some of our creative people are doing in art, dance, music, storytelling and crafts. This gallery space provides a brief outline and showcases their work. Some works can be purchased and skills can be employed if you are interested. Come and have a look.

We will update this space over time so come back again and see who is here and find out what they are doing!

Nigel Stewart

 

Nigel StewartAn Arakwal Family Member Nigel Stewart comes from the Minyungbul Coodjingburra (Fingal Heads) and the Yuin People (Narooma, South Coast NSW).  Nigel is an artist and dancer, and plays didjeredoo. He has knowledge of bush tucker and is learning to speak Bundjalung language.

“I think it is vital in our connection to country and we must learn it and speak it to keep the Bundjalung Language alive and strong to hand down to the next generation. It’s very important to know the language names of country as the names given tell a story.

Nigel has learnt from his elders and friends as well as attending Worawa Aboriginal College in Victoria after leaving high school. He works as a Ranger in Arakwal National Park Byron Bay, putting his knowledge and passion to work caring for Country. Always a coastal person, he enjoys living off oysters, mud crab, pippis, prawns, abalone, lobster, mussels and fish.

“I have been very lucky that the Arakwal Bundjalung elders have passed down their knowledge about the special places and places of plenty. All the bush tucker that I have learnt is from them, so I give my upmost respect to my elders for sharing and passing this culture to the younger generation. All other knowledge is from the ocean, most I have learnt from my father as he is a hunter and gatherer from the Yuin people. My father was taught this by his father and our links are very strong. We have a plentiful, healthy lifestyle growing up near the ocean. My nan and uncles showed me things like how to get pippis in the sand, good places to gather oysters and indicators of fish in the water. It is so important to spend this time with your family and elders to learn.”

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Dubay Dancers

The Arakwal Dubay (meaning women) Dancers are a dance troupe that practice and perform traditional dance. We have performed at local gatherings and key regional events including NAIDOC week, The Blues Festival and Splendor In The Grass. We perform a twenty-minute set and each dance has significance and meaning. For example, our welcome dance is about sweeping out the bad spirits and bringing in the good.

Our troupe is made up of local Indigenous women. 

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Corey Stewart

Corey is a Byron Bay Arakwal family member from the Minyungbul Coodjingburra (Fingal Heads, NSW) and Yuin  (Narooma, NSW) peoples. He is a coastal man who loves to go to the beach, poetry and singing. Corey likes to go fishing with his family, getting pippis on the beach, gathering mussels (bimbala) and oysters with his uncles and brothers.

“I love painting, cause I see the beautiful colours that can be created, like the colours of the rainbow.  My passions are to be loving and caring for everything on this earth.  I like to clean country by picking up rubbish around creeks and the river, excercising outdoors and saying hello to friends.”

Corey’s culture is in his painting, poetry, family connections and gathering from nature and his painting reflects this.

“When I draw my hand this represents coming together and helping people.  Other paintings are about my family and I like to paint boats, snakes, snails, and most recently dolphins and fish. The colours I use represent the colours of the rainbow and the energy within life.”

Corey’s artwork and post cards are available at the Cape Gallery Shop and supports people working with a disability.

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Sean Kay

 

Sean Vidler Kay is an Arakwal Man who comes from Byron Bay, connected to this country through his grandfather and mum who are both Arakwal Bundjalung Traditional Custodians. Sean has grown up around Byron Bay, and knows this place really well – its his homeland. Sean’s passion is to paint Aboriginal designs onto canvas.

I have designed carvings on wood, surfboards and pretty much anything that people request. I also love to do wood burning and paint boomerangs.  The boomerang is very symbolic to our people as we were taken away from our country, but just like that boomerang, we always come back.

The paintings he creates come from the spirit of his country and ancestors.  His designs include carpet snake, goanna, dolphin, whale, echidna, pippis, campsites, spirits and trees, all on a beautiful backdrop of landscaped country.  The main colours he uses include earth ochre – reds, yellow, white and ocean aqua.

““Painting helps me relax, focus and remember. My paintings come from my feelings which is derived from my family life and history, totems, heritage and culture. When I paint I think of all my Arakwal Family and how we would hunt and gather and live on our land many, many years ago. I have a very close spiritual connection to my grandfather whom walked this land in search of bush tucker and materials to make his artefacts and crafts. I feel his presence still with me today and I represent this in my art.”

Sean is keen surfer who won the Indigenous competition at Fingal Heads in recent years. Check out this video of Sean here surfing in the Bay.

“I love being in the ocean swimming just like a dolphin – this keeps me connected also.”

He has a strong connection to Arakwal country, its stories and history, and fond memories of being with family here. This influences his approach to life and his art.

“The Eagle is the male totem and when I see the eagle flying over, I feel like it is my Grandfather watching over me. The dolphin is the woman’s totum and I feel the same feeling, when I see them – its like all of my family that have past are watching over me. I represent this in my art also. Me and my family would gather pippis at Tallow Creek and Belongil, we would light a fire and cook them up for a feed, we always had fish, mudcrabs and bushtucker, this place is plentiful. I thank all my elders for passing this beautiful connection onto me”. 

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Dolphin (Wajung)
Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is an important totem for our people. Wajoong gives us messages about relationships between our clan members, to our ancestors and the past, and also to particular places and sites in our Country. We have stories of our people and dolphins communicating and connecting with each other, including co-operative fishing, sharing resources from the ocean, and playing in the shallows.
Sea Eagle (Miwing)
White Breasted Sea Eagle (Haliaetus leucogaster) is an important totem for us. Miwing gives us messages about clan and family groups, provides knowledge on hunting practices and environmental events on Country. The second largest raptor (bird of prey), you can see the majestic Miwing soaring above you as you walk along Tallow Beach or around the Cape.
Carpet Snake (Kabul)
Carpet Snake (Morelia spilota) as one of our key totems symbolises the relationship of clan members to each other, to our ancestors and the past, and to particular places or sites. Kabul are important to us for their conservation, wild resource and other cultural values.
Brush Turkey (Wollum)
Brush Turkey (Alectura lathami) is a messenger providing clues about and demonstrating knowledge and adaptability in knowing and using Country. Wollum lives and moves freely in the coastal bush, foraging through leaf litter for food to eat. The male builds large mounds out of vegetative material and uses it to incubate their eggs.
Pied Oystercatcher (language name?)
Pied Oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) is an important bird to us because they provide messages about food sources and environmental events in Country. The Pied forages on the beaches and rocky shores, in mudflats of inlets, bays, ocean beaches, and on offshore islets.
Green Turtle (Bijahlin)
Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is an important messenger that provides knowledge of the sea Country. Biwing nests on north coast beaches including Tallow Beach and Lennox Heads to the south. Julian Rocks (Nguthungulli) supports significant populations of the Biwing and if you go snorkeling or diving there, you can have a close encounter with these graceful creatures.