Gugubarra

‘Gugubarra’ is the Wiradjuri nation word for Kookaburra. Before my grandmother passed, she told our family that she would come back as a gugubarra and laugh at us all. The gugubarra has become an extremely important symbol to our family and all of our households contain many items with a gugubarra on them. Every time we hear the gugubarra’s call we all stop and cry ‘it’s Nana!’. My grandmother, known as Dixie (real name Iris), was a talented and accomplished artist. This exhibition pays homage to our family’s Matriarch. Nana was spunky, colourful and vibrant, like all my works. As an Indigenous artist, this exhibition shows my journey of discovery into family, and culture. It reflects on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ appreciation of animals, lands and waters through painting, weaving, and textiles. – Stacey Payten.