By Aryani Siti
We had a wonderful time at the Aboriginal Art and Culture workshop held recently at the Newport Community Education Centre.
Tristan Harris, also known as Pancakes, guided us through elements of Indigenous culture introducing us to traditional symbols and sharing an interactive Dreamtime story, How the Echidna Got His Spikes, an important lesson in not being greedy.
Tristan also explained how the didgeridoo, a traditional Aboriginal instrument, is made, sharing each step, from finding the right wood, cutting and cleaning it, to painting and decorating it. He even played the didgeridoo for us. One of the most surprising moments was when we each took turns placing the instrument on our ear; even without playing it, we could still hear the music! It was an amazing experience, and we were all in awe.
During the workshop, we created our own artworks using paint and canvas, and included traditional Indigenous symbols we had learned, such as the rainbow, star, rain, fire, waterhole, woman, man, bush tucker, and more. Dot painting techniques helped us complete our pieces.
We also learned about Aboriginal storytelling, the importance of symbols, and cultural traditions. It helped build understanding, respect, and connection to the world’s oldest living culture and encouraged creativity giving everyone a chance to express themselves through art.
We left the workshop feeling inspired and grateful for the knowledge shared with us.
