Looking after Country

Free

Polly Wilson

Being flooded with devastating and tragic news on a daily basis of the recent bushfires as they were terrorising the land, I truly believe in cultural burning practices being reinstated across the country.

For thousands of years, our people cared for the country using this technical practice. Just imagine the amount of wildlife, homes, people and livelihoods that would have been saved had we been listening to our elders. 

My scar tree is one of the main focal points in this piece to bring awareness to the preservation of our heritage. The other focal point is the cool burning process creating new growth in a matter of days.

As the land is our mother, I have placed three women at the meeting place; My grandmother, my mother and myself, all strong women and mothers.

I have included my youngest son's handprint as a gesture to country as he too is a custodian.

From the mountains to the plains, the rivers to the desert, we need to teach the next generation to care for country.