History
CELEBRATE THE CULTURE OF AUSTRALIA'S FIRST PEOPLE COLLECTION. 5 of 8 quilts
Date 2019. Set of eight quilts. Set exhibited at: • Museum of the Great Southern, Albany Western Australia, 8-29 July 2018, which included NAIDOC week. Displayed as a component of WA Inspired Art Quilters’ Exhibition • Boddington Field of Quilts WA, 23 September 2018 Set sold at Boddington Field of Quilts.
Traditionally, fish from wetlands were an important source of protein for Noongar people. Included were: freshwater cobbler from rivers; estuarine mullet and cobbler; and marine fishes such as Australian salmon which use saline rivers as nurseries and are flushed down with water from winter rains. Fish were speared; driven to the shore by a line of people or with brush, where they were caught by hand or speared; easily caught in tidal weirs when the tide went out; and caught in traps constructed with brush and stake across rivers. Big schools of fish were watched for in season. Rituals and set procedures preceded and accompanied the fishing, in the interests of a good catch. Visitors were invited to the feasts.
Description
Materials and techniques: Aboriginal fabric, Yalke designed by June Smith; machine applique, hand embroidery, hand and machine quilting.
