This week we celebrate National Reconciliation Week where the theme this year is 'Don't Keep History a Mystery: Learn Share Grow'. Award winning South Australian Indigenous Artist Damien Shen who is also a parent in our school created a signfiicant piece of art for Tension Woods Catholic School. The piece shows the connection between identity and history. In keeping with this year's theme Damien shared his Ngarrindjeri heritage and the story behind the artwork, enabling our students to learn, share and grow.
In the background of the artwork is an image of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop walking with two young children, one of whom is indigenous; a reminder that St Mary encouraged children from any cultural background to walk with her to school and to Church in the areas that she served. The bronze statue located outside St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Adelaide inspired the image. The statue by artist Judith Rolevink, was unveiled in Mary MacKillop Plaza adjacent to St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in 2009.
Damien reminded the students that St Mary spent time at Yankalilla where she would most likely have had contact with many Ngarrindjeri people and taught Ngarrindjeri students. Dot painting, whilst not a traditional form of Ngarrindjeri art, was developed as a way to encode traditional Aboriginal messages. Damien spoke of the importance of continuing to tell stories and share the messages in order to understand and keep the many cultures alive. The dot painting pattern in the foreground of the artwork consists of the same patterns carved on Ngarrindjeri shields and symbolize the importance of Indigenous history and cultural connections.
