Ranwul
Ngarrindjeri word for Past
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
This painting represents the past journeys and beginnings of First Nations students at St Aloysius College, connecting with one another, culture and The Dreaming.
Footprints begin within this painting and travel through each of the artworks, representing students’ journeys at school.
The Ngarrindjeri belief is that the nanggi (sun) is a giver of life. The sun helps food grow and gives humans vitamin D. It also helps us to know when we can move about during the day and when we can rest at night. The sun is a very important element within culture. The native wildlife represents the students’ connection to their totems, Dreaming and the unique clan groups that they come from.
The ‘U’ shapes surrounding the circles represent mi:minar (women) and are depicted along the journey line. This represents not only the connection between staff and students but also the bonds formed outside the classroom, which has supported our past First Nations students to develop in their cultural identity. Next to the U-shaped figures that represent people, there are the coolamons and digging sticks. These tools were used and traditionally held by mi:minar throughout their lifetime and were gifted by the men who hand-crafted them. The rainbow is seen as the giver of life. The creator of the rainbow moved about our lands and waters as he made rain. The rain flowed through our waterways, rock pools and water holes. Following the rain, the appearance of rainbows signified that the Country is healthy and strong and that the spirit of Country is good and happy. The colours represent the magic of our ancestors, created in the Kalawindjeri (Dreaming/Milky Way). The magic they possessed is represented in the rainbow we see today. When we see it, it always makes us happy to find him up in the sky, stretched over our lands and waters. It reminds us that the spirit is strong and happy.
ABOUT THE artist
Cedric Varcoe was born in Adelaide in 1984 and is an Narungga & Ramindjeri man of the Ngarrindjeri language group. He has lived on Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Nukunu and Narungga land.
Cedric started painting at 8 years old, as a child his mum would take him to the beach to collect river rocks and shells and paint them and he would listen to Ngarrindjeri stories from his aunties, uncles, and mum’s cousins. He lived in Port Pirie when he became a dad and studied literacy and art at TAFE where he set up an art group. In 2015 he received an ArtSA grant to research his practice and colour theory. Furthering his career, Cedric teamed up with Betterworld Arts who support his practice by selling his work nationally and internationally. Cedric exhibits his work regularly and is also an experienced mural artist and Cultural Leader on his Country.
“Through art I want people to look through our eyes when they visit these places, I want them to feel connected to their miwi (spirit/heart) which makes us and shapes us as a person and connects us to our totems and life that belongs to Country. I’ve made it my purpose to share stories and keep them alive, my responsibility as a custodian is to share that knowledge with younger people about belonging and caring for Country, and significant sites of our lands and waters.” – Cedric Varcoe 2023
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Wardli is the Kaurna word for home. This vibrant wardli art installation represents the journeys of First Nations students’ past, present and future at St Aloysius College. The collaborative project was created by First Nations students, staff, Cedric Varcoe, Uncle Major (Moogy) Sumner AM and architect Peter Moeck. The artwork represents students connecting with teachers, staff and First Nations Student Support Officers. They are learning, sharing and growing in knowledge as part of their journey to understand their place in this community and the wider world. Students learn and gather information as they grow up being raised in diverse cultural contexts. They are developing a deeper understanding of their cultural knowledge, in school and at home with their families. It is important that the knowledge that they hold and develop carries on throughout their lives, and they can sit around the journey site to share their stories and knowledge.
These wardlis are designed for students of all ages to meet, sit and yarn, forging and strengthening connections with one another.
