Long ago, before the rivers carved their way through the land, the Great Spirits walked the Earth and whispered life into the soil. This land was sacred, a meeting place of kinship, knowledge, and renewal. The painting before you tells the Dreaming of the Healing Grounds - a place where all creatures, clans, and seasons converged under the guidance of the Ancestors.

The bright blue rivers in the painting are known as the Lifelines. These waterways are not merely sources of water; they are the flowing veins of the Earth, where stories are carried, songs are sung, and healing begins. Where these waters meet, circles of fire burst like suns from the soil - these are the Ceremony Grounds, vibrant with ochre, dance, and story. Here, the Elders gathered under star-filled skies, passing on the wisdom of how to walk gently on the land.

The patches of red, orange, and yellow represent the Seasons of Plenty, when bush foods bloom and animals return to feed. The white dots scattered across the land are Spirit Seeds - each one planted by the Ancestors to remind the people that healing comes not only from the Earth but from their connection to each other and to Country.

Black swirling shapes emerge like smoke - these are the Healing Winds, ancient energies that rise from the dreaming places to restore balance. They spiral around the Ceremony Grounds, carrying old stories and the breath of Ancestors to those who listen.

Each circle, each cluster of colour, tells of a clan, a journey and a survival.

This piece is apart of the 2025 NAIDOC Exhibition.