Status: Stock
Screen printed by hand in Sydney, by master printers. Sold by the metre in 145 cm width.
Care Instructions: Gentle machine or hand wash only in cool water, using mild detergent.
Do Not Soak, Bleach, Rub, Wring, Tumble. Line Dry Only in Shade.
Warm Iron on Reverse. Do Not Dry Clean.
Name: Karen Shuan
Community: Mossman
Biography:
I grew up in Mossman learning two ways of life: Kuku Yalanji and Western.
I learnt language and culture from the age of four, and as I grew I was an interpreter for my mother and elders. Now I teach my daughters - we all speak language at home.
Now, both my parents have passed away. My mother was from Mossman and she is my role model, she taught me language, culture, and dance from the past and the present. The stories in dance she also painted; stories of our Totems (Ancestral Beings) like that of Diwan (Scrub hen) laying eggs, the sea turtle and the crocodile.
As a young person, my father’s uncle, Eddy Bloomfield, painted for pleasure and to pass on knowledge. He painted on any surface he could find like bark, turtle shells etc. I was always listening to elders and Eddy encouraged me to pick up a paintbrush. He taught me traditional techniques and told me many stories about our ancestors and clan country and what food is edible and what is not.
My elders taught me how to survive here. Strong voices and histories, self-expression through dance and painting. This is how they survived and this is valuable knowledge for the next generation.
My artwork stories focus on the Totems that have been passed down to me from my father’s and mother’s side. Many of them are still sung and danced in public ceremony. I pass on these stories to my seven daughters and also teach them how to dance them.
Status: Stock Cushion Cover Ngujay (Freshwater Turtle) on Brown by Karen Shuan
Status: Stock Bucket Hat Kurriyala (Carpet Snake) on Black by Lorna Shuan The carpet snake is an important animal for us. We call it Kurriyala in our Kuku Yalanji language. Our ancestors wrapped the meat Read more…
Status: Stock Bucket Hat Kurriyala (Carpet Snake) on Pink by Lorna Shuan The carpet snake is an important animal for us. We call it Kurriyala in our Kuku Yalanji language. Our ancestors wrapped the meat Read more…