Stars from our three Townsville programs – Heatley, Thuringowa and Pimlico – were offered an opportunity by Kmart to create a display for their local store to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020.
Our Heatley Mentor, Kelsey, organised the collaboration, with each program receiving a banner to paint showing what this year’s theme ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ meant to them.
Our young women had one week to complete their banners, and they included a range of techniques, including traditional art styles, dot painting, native animals and plants, and Indigenous symbols.
In a very short space of time, our Townsville Stars did a fantastic job of displaying and celebrating their culture.
Once the banners were completed, some of our Stars had an opportunity to help Kelsey and the Kmart staff set up the window display.
They were so proud to see the three banners come together to create one beautiful art installation, and to see their culture being represented to the wider Townsville community.
Kmart Manager, Damian Lovell, said that many people had been admiring the display during the week and expressing their appreciation of the artwork.
Two of our Townsville Stars commented on what the theme ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ means to them:
“To me the theme means to acknowledge the First Nations people in Australia and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.”
“Indigenous Australian culture is important for all Australians to learn about. It is important to show how we care for the land and how we are spiritually connected.”
Special thanks to Kmart Townsville for giving our students such a fantastic opportunity to share their culture with the local community.
