Angwirri

Angwirri (pronounced Ung-wer-ri) means ‘begin to talk’ in Yaygirr language from Maclean NSW.

This work was screened on the Sydney Opera House at dawn on 26 January 2021. When first approached to do this work, Frances said she felt conflicted as this day is often seen as a day of trauma for many First Nation Australians. Frances took the opportunity for all people to heal, to begin to talk, and to have the conversation about what the day means.

The colours are inspired by the vast array of colours present in the Australian landscape and coastline. The brown linear design symbolises a mapping of country/coastline.

The circle markings depict the 250+ Aboriginal Language groups present in Australia and the linear marks represent the 200 nationalities that call Australia home.

By creating this work, it gave Frances the opportunity to help tell a story that not only represents who we are as a nation but also to give people a wider understanding of Aboriginal Culture and how valuable it really is to our identity as a nation.

“Our sense of belonging to the land is something that is intrinsically embedded into our being, and as First Nations people we are responsible for sharing the truth of our history,” Frances Belle Parker, 2021.