As part of the University of New South Wales’ NAIDOC celebrations on July 8th, I had the opportunity to join the art and weaving workshops organised by Indigenous artists Leilani Knight and Allyson Brown, respectively. I was taught how to convey stories, emotions and messages through my craft, from an idea as simple as sharing my happy place to something as significant as raising awareness on world issues, through Indigenous symbols.
The chance to talk to these wonderful women gave me an opportunity to learn more about NAIDOC and its significance to the Indigenous community, a unique experience for me as an international student. To both Knight and Brown, NAIDOC is an intrinsic part of their culture and identity. The generations before them have celebrated this week too, and it has become deeply embedded within their community. It is a time for them to celebrate their culture and share it with others.
Knight, who has been instructing her art workshop for four to five years, began her journey at a young age. Being taught by her family, she quickly became drawn to Indigenous art. She focuses heavily on the connection between art and her culture, tracing patterns and stories that link her to her family and ancestors and bring light to First Nations’ history and stories. She also focuses on themes such as institutional racism and government practices. However, Knight highlights that her pieces are not inherently political, but rather represent the truth and stories that she has been told to share.
Creativity is also a theme that Knight wishes to convey through her work. She shared her growth from focussing on traditional means, such as using earthy tones, to more vibrant colours. Sharing her stories in more creative and innovative ways became more appealing to Knight as she developed her practice to become more contemporary through her studies.
Brown first started weaving in Year 12, and in school she created a weaving group and held weekly meetings. She later held her first weaving workshop at UNSW, where she taught how to make earrings. Brown has experience with teaching students and teachers from different schools and has joined community NAIDOC events, all to share the art of weaving.
Brown focuses on creating an emotional meaning when weaving her pieces. She uses colours to portray emotions during her creating stage, such as incorporating blue to convey sadness. Brown focuses more on the meaning behind the process of weaving, rather than purely the visual appeal. Brown recalls an example of this, remembering the anxiety she felt before taking her HSC exams, and how she weaved pieces that symbolised that feeling. Brown has also started to use ceramics as a base for many of her pieces; a method she used in particular when weaving during a trip to Lake Mungo.
Ultimately, the experience of attending Knight’s art workshop was an amazing introduction to NAIDOC week and Indigenous culture through a medium that I love, art. I encourage international students to delve more into the culture of First Nations people, support them and appreciate the traditions that they share throughout NAIDOC week, and always.