Students at Mossman State School have worked hard on Indigenous artworks set to be exhibited at the Port Douglas Community Hall on Monday, May 11.

A celebratory collaboration between the Kubirriwarra Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and Mossman State School, the showcase highlights years of artistic and cultural work by local students. 

Kubirriwarra Yalanji Chairperson John Hartley says the name of the exhibition itself, Kunbul, sets the tone for the event. 

He explained that Kunbul is a word used for celebration, and this event is truly a celebration of the children's artistic and cultural endeavours at the school.

The exhibition features two primary cultural themes that students have been exploring in the classroom. 

The first is the story of the Taipan snake, Jinkalmu in Yalanji language, and the second focuses on the seasons of North Queensland as seen through an Indigenous lens. 

While many are familiar with the standard four seasons, the students have been learning about the intricate Yalanji seasonal cycles, which interconnect weather patterns with food resources, the ocean, and the stars. 

Mr Hartley notes that they learn about which animals appear during certain cycles and when it is a good time to hunt for eggs or fish. 

These stories have been captured in physical books and have also been animated and converted to digital formats with language narrations, which will be premiered via video presentation on the opening night.

A major highlight of the exhibition is a traditional canoe, a project sponsored by the National Australian Bank Foundation as part of community restoration efforts following recent cyclones. 

Following the exhibition, the canoe will find a permanent home at Mossman State School.

Connecting through culture

The partnership between the Corporation and Mossman State School has grown significantly since it began with a Kuku Yalanji language program. 

Today, it encompasses art, craft, and traditional dance. Mr Hartley noted that the impact on the school environment has been profound.

He believes the Aboriginal children gain pride in their language and culture being taught in the school, while the non-Indigenous children learn the language and culture of the area they live in, creating a very good bridging program between cultures.