An exhibition celebrating the wisdom and strength of First Nations Elders has opened today as part of the Pop Up North Queensland contemporary art festival.
Aptly named, Waymaker, the exhibition features 50 Elders across 10 portraits on mass billboards.
Waymaker curator Vicki Saylor, a Manbarra Traditional Owner involved in cultural engagement and as a community liaison for more than 30 years, said she was inspired by the 2023 NAIDOC theme, 'For Our Elders' and wanted to honour the people who have contributed to the "tapestry of this community".
"I wanted to do a project that showcased our Elders because they don't get a lot of opportunity to be showcased in the community," Ms Saylor told NITV.
"I chose the name Waymaker because I wanted to focus, not on the generation that's no longer with us, but the generation that we work with here in our community right now."
Behind every portrait and every person featured, there are many stories and Ms Saylor admits it wasn't an easy task to convince all the Elders to get on board with being the centre of attention.
A bush-tucker tea party, for 'Advocates of Change'. Source: Supplied / Pippa Samaya
Ms Saylor said it was important to her to showcase Elders from all First Nations communities in the area - Aboriginal, Torres Strait and South Sea Islander.
Backo family members in 'Kanakas, The South Sea Story'. Source: Supplied / Pippa Samaya
Aunty Joan worked in Carramar Children's Home in Townsville for 38 years.
"She would've seen trauma on trauma, layer upon layer, and being a single woman herself, having no children, I admired her tenacity and her ability to be able to engage with the children and offer them the love and the comfort they needed that they never got from their families."
Ms Saylor said there was one family she met through Sunday school and became close to, who had been cared for by Aunty Joan in the home.
Years later, one of the children, Florence, shared with Ms Saylor just what Aunty Joan meant to her and her siblings, calling her their 'Black Angel'.
"I thought she was saying it as a nickname," said Ms Saylor.
"When I was talking to her further she said, 'no, we used to cry ourselves to sleep in the dark rooms... it was horrible... we were so scared and Aunty Joan must have heard our cries'."
Florence told Ms Saylor that when Aunty Joan came to the door the light shone behind her, creating an angel-like silhouette.
"These little children thought God had sent a Black angel to them every night to help them go to sleep."
Retelling the story Ms Saylor held back tears.
"I couldn't imagine what that would feel like as a child, being rejected and thrown out, and this lady coming to them at night and putting her arms around them," she said.
Uncle Russell Butler braving the waters to create this magical shot, 'Keeper of Culture'. Source: Supplied / Pippa Samaya
"This particular lady is not one to be photographed at any stage," said Ms Saylor.
"She hates any attention on her and she's moved on her in life and she didn't want to talk about what she went through."
Ms Saylor laughed and said when people see the portrait they'll ask how she got Aunty Joan to pose for it.
She reveals it was a combination of a cuppa, good timing and photographer Pippa Samaya basically being on call.
It took just ten minutes to capture.
Immortalising stories like Aunty Joan's through portraiture, Ms Samaya said she believes the world should pay more attention towards Elders as the ones who have "carved the pathway".
"It's so important to acknowledge [Elders] and show that respect but also helping them become icons," Ms Samaya said.
"By photographing them in this light and illuminating their stories and everything that they've done and passed on we are enshrining them as sources of inspiration and motivation for all the generations coming up underneath to step into their shoes and continue to pay it forward."
Ms Saylor said if she had to choose, her favourite photo shoot was with staff from the local medical centre.
"Between them, they had 200 years of healing our people in this community," she said.
"What they would've witnessed and seen over the years would have been unbelievable, not just illness but racism."
Ms Saylor said for this portrait it was important to capture humour.
Curator Vicki Saylor said this was her favourite photoshoot. Source: Supplied / Pippa Samaya
"I grew up in the medical centre where the photo was shot and all I can remember is the laughter in the hallways, just happy, and that is what that photo reminded me of."
Ms Saylor said the thing she's taking away from the project is witnessing the Elders' faces and reactions when seeing the portraits of themselves.
"The tears and the emotions were pretty heightened and they just loved seeing themselves depicted in this way because it was all very positive.
"I think the community will get such a surprise, and their families, of the sight of their grandma, grandad, uncle and aunty..."
is a biennial festival that stretches a creative canvas of unique immersive journeys across Gurambilbarra / Townsville, Yunbenun / Magnetic Island, Warrgamay, Nywaigi & Bandjin Country / Hinchinbrook and Gudjal Country / Charters Towers.
