Journal article
Mapping ‘place’ in southeast australia: Crafting a possum skin cloak
J McGaw
Craft Research | Published : 2014
Abstract
Prior to European colonization, Aboriginal people from the southeast of Australia made cloaks from the skins of possums, a small furry marsupial. The place-stories of their country were inscribed on the back of the skins identifying their personal connection to clan and tribe. By the late twentieth century, it was thought that both the skills of making them and the knowledge of country they held had been lost. However, since the turn of this century, there has been a revival of this craft practice led by Aboriginal artists. This article will present work in progress of a creative research project with Indigenous people from southeast Australian tribal groups led by the author of this article..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The research contained herein is one aspect of a larger project, Indigenous Placemaking in Melbourne: Representations, Practices and Creative Research that has been funded by the Australia Research Council and Melbourne City Council Indigenous Arts Program. Victorian Traditional Owners Land Justice Group and Reconciliation Victoria are Linkage Partners, providing in-kind support. Other chief investigators include Dr Emily Potter, Dr Anoma Pieris and Emeritus Professor Graham Brawn. Special acknowledgement is given to Vicki Couzens, Esther Kirby, Isabelle Dunn and Emily Livesy for their consent to have their work discussed in this article and to Naomi Tootell who facilitated workshops, community engagement and report writing.