359709482080913

Published by on June 4, 2023

Baidamau Gapu

This artwork is inspired by my late Grandfather. Mr Naizel Tomsana known to the village as Athe Apol. My mother’s father is from Bad Isalnd, she would tell me stories of how they were always together. My Athe is a storyteller, he inivtes the whole village into his yard and they would sit around the fireplace while he yarns, it is also through his way of passing down his linage and culture especially his stories of his TOTEM’s.

This is my totem, ngai (I) Baidamau Gapu (suckerfish).

Categories: Moa Arts

Name: Babetha Nawia

Language: English, Kala Lagaw Ya, Creole

Community: Kubin

Biography:

I am the fifth child out of five, the language most used in my household is Kala Lagaw Ya and I live on Kubin Moa Island. My birthplace is Thursday Island and where I spent the first years of my kindy. My family than moved to Moa Island where I did grade 1-3 at St Pauls Community, then year 4-7 at Kubin Village and graduated primary school. I attended boarding school at St Ursula's Toowoomba, around year 11 I relocated to Mount Saint Bernards Herberton and graduated year 12. City life was very different from Kubin. I would get homesick all the time because I wasn’t able to do what I do on the islands, like walking on the reef fishing, swimming in the freshwater creeks or saltwater, bush bashing, making a fire in the backyard and most of all being with my family. One thing I learnt from boarding was to be independent.

After high school it was than a search to find my adulthood, what were my options and opportunities at this point. After spending 3 years in Cairns, I returned home at age of 20. I worked at Torres Strait Regional Council for a year as administration officer, I then worked at our primary school as a cleaner and admin. Doing two jobs at once was very eye opening. This unlocked skills, I didn’t know I had. It was a great opportunity to thicken my resume and get more experience, but I knew it was something I didn’t want to do in the long run. A new job was opening at our local art centre – Moa Arts. I succeed as an applicant and I've never been happier. I’m currently working as their Sales and Marketing Assistant, more new openings to bigger and better opportunities.

"drawing sketches in a little black book was a hobby that I couldn't shake, once I started working at the Art Centre, I have mastered how to do more than just sketches and that has opened doors for me that I didn't know existed."

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