Sarah Herrmann, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
An exhibition featuring works by two Narungga artists has been recognised with a statewide award.
Saltbush Country, a Country Arts SA curation of seven regional Indigenous artists’ works, won the Outstanding Regional Event or Project at South Australia’s major arts accolades, the Ruby Awards, presented on November 29.
Narungga sisters Deanna Newchurch and Lynette Newchurch worked together to create a major element of the exhibition — a possum-skin cloak thought to be the first of its kind made in more than 100 years.
Deanna, of Point Pearce, led the cloak-making and said it took her “forever” to make, because she hadn’t done it before.
“I got a bit of help from one lady over in Victoria, the Grampians, but when I took it over, I took it in two pieces,” Deanna said.
“She was shocked that I’d already put it together.
“So more or less I knew what I was doing.
“Don’t ask me how I knew what I was doing because it was a fluke.”
The underside of the cloak features the four Narungga totems — Garrdi (emu), Wawi (female red kangaroo), Widhadha (shark) and Wildu (eagle).
Both sisters said they were honoured to reconnect with their ancestors through the project.
“Soon as we started moving with it, it just made us feel good within, knowing that we’re reviving cultural practices, just being involved with it, and hopefully take it to the community,” Lynette, of Port Victoria, said.
The exhibition also featured seven seashell necklaces made by the sisters, one of which was purchased by the Art Gallery of South Australia, Lynette said.
The sisters gather shells from all over Yorke Peninsula, connecting with Country.
“I love going to the beach and getting the shells,” Deanna said.
“We go and sit for hours on the beach collecting, and in the waters looking for, them.”
Lynette said winning the Ruby Award was “a sweet surprise” and that she was proud of “putting our knowledge out in front of people”.
“Throughout my life I’ve been doing art stuff, doing stuff with my mother growing up,” she said.
“We’ve been doing it on Country, there, home at Point Pearce for a long time, since we was kids.”
Saltbush Country is currently touring regional South Australia; for information, visit countryarts.org.au/events/saltbush-country/.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 17 December 2024.