Deanne Gilson
Yin Yin Yonbarra - Songbirds
artist statement
Yin Yin Yonbarra, meaning Songbirds, depicts not only the birds, people, plants and other animals from our Wadawurrung Creation Story, it highlights the importance of keeping oral story-telling alive for the future generations. Our stories are not written down, nor in books, they are spoken to children as stories. This is my mum’s Marlene Gilson OAM story, it was written down in full by my brother Barry Gilson and as an artist I have used each bird as inspiration to paint.
I wanted to show how beautiful the colours of Country are, the birds themselves and my love for nature. Alongside revealing deep connections to Country and place, ancestral knowledges, family and each other. On a personal level painting the birds has brought my children and I so much joy, I love showing them my next painting and discovering all the quirks of the birds as they live, play and squabble in the trees on Country. The Rainbow Lorikeets really do control the tree tops.
As I go on daily walks, I gather local ochres, the white ochre represents spirit and the connection through ceremony when placed on my body, the pink is from my favourite place Black Hill in Ballarat and connects to our women’s story there, the charcoal is from my mum’s fire and is crushed up by me, then used to paint with. The black charcoal smells like a smoking ceremony and forms connections to my mum, Country and the gum trees from which our Creation Story comes from. I often think of that when I work, I love the connections and am very proud to be able to include them in my practice. I gather my favourite bush plants like banksias, wattle, hakea and gum leaves to take back home and paint from. Each painting is embedded with a small portion of 23 Karat gold or silver leaf, this represents the goldfields, my ancestral Country and where I live. The silver stands for spirit and shines like the brightest star in the night sky, with the gold overriding the colonial voices, by simply stating that we are the gold, Country is the gold and we had no use for gold.
The birds all hold their own stories, like Jirra Wit, the Willy Wagtail, who is said to bring messages from spirit and loved ones. Others like the Rainbow Lorikeets, the King Parrots and the Rosellas, all take their colours from the first rainbow that Bundjil created, after the first sunrise.
Bundjil was a shapeshifter, a magical Wedge-tailed Eaglehawk, that could turn himself into a man named Karringalabil and back again. He was the headman of the Kulin family groups. While in his eagle form he created the land on which we stand, the people, plants, birds, animals, mountains, forests, waterways, sky, cosmos and under Country. He created the birds first and they became his family, as did Country, some of them helped him finish his creation.
Bundjil created the first men at a place called Kirritt Barreet in Gordon. The first born was the Brolga or Karween as he was known and the second form he created from bark taken from the Manna gum tree was Wa’ng or now known as Waa the Crow, that is why we call the crows our ancestors. Waa got his name by the sound he makes. He then assisted in breathing life into the people and blowing them across Country. Waa is said to be our ancestor watching over us.
The two black swan sisters Kunuwarra are Bundjil’s wives and he had three sons, one was the evening sunset glow and Binbeal the Rainbow, whose wife was the second bow on the rainbow. The third son was named Turt, the galaxy and all the stars it holds.
The corella, named Koruk Koruk was Bundjil’s daughter and his brother was named Baliang the bat.
Bundjil became tired and decided to take his family to a place called Lal Lal Falls where he asked the keeper of the whirlwind Bellin Bellin the Currawong to blow them high up into the sky to rest. They became stars in the galaxy and now all watch over us today.
I am grateful for the support from Daine and her staff in allowing me the space to showcase our magical story and support my art practice, thank you for helping me bring our story to life.
Nyatne, Deanne Gilson