Guardians of the Land

The Story Behind This Mural

This mural is a reproduction of Butchulla Elder Barbara Trevaskis’ “Guardians of the Land” design and has been reproduced by fellow Butchulla Artist Aunty Karen Hall (aka Kutcha B Blackman). The mural reflects the “ancient footprint” as seen by Barbara. Barbara believes that Jesus walked on the land first as a rainbow serpent. Then came the Aboriginal Nation for thousands of years. The smaller white footprint is European colonisation and the little footprint in rainbow coloured dots represents all the different cultures who have recently walked upon this land. All have a collective responsibility to care for the land on which we walk. This mural, like all indigenous art, should be considered from a viewpoint of looking down from the sky. The background of the mural represents wattle and acacia trees. In each corner are meeting places with a fire in the centre. The patterns around the fire represent the marks in the land left from Butchulla persons sitting cross-legged.

Mural Location

l

About the Artist

Aunty Barbara is an Aboriginal Elder of the Butchulla People, who has been married to Ernest Trevaskis, a Wakka Wakka elder, for 47 years.

Barbara is “delighted” to have her design reproduced now on her own country. Karen Hall is “pleased to be able to reproduce this work of art on behalf of Barbara”.

Karen came back on country about seven years ago to retire. She is a Butchulla community member and Elder who has a background in Education.

Aunty Karen is a renowned Butchulla artist and also has her unique artistic style on display at the new Emergency Section of the Maryborough Hospital.

 

Contributors to this Mural

The mural is a joint project between the Maryborough Mural Project and St Mary’s Catholic Parish.   St Mary’s Catholic Parish funded the artist commission for the project through a Fraser Coast Regional Council Community Grant and assisted in mural production.  The Maryborough Mural Project assisted by arranging in-kind support for other items to complete the mural.  St Mary’s Catholic Parish and the Maryborough Mural Project thanks the following business for their kind and generous support in the creation of this mural.