Jody Rallah
Yuggera/Biri people QLD
Ingredients to Wealth 2023
Acrylic and gold leaf on linen
101 cm x 76.3 cm
Many hands through generations,
the passing from and reaching to,
Bini djara,
Mil djara,
Djara gialiba
Indigenous agricultural practices have cultivated bush foods and medicines for tens of thousands of years. These plants have thrived in diverse Countries across the Australian continent to nurture the life; not only people and the animals, but the health of the river systems.
The painting depicts locally cultivated bush foods and medicines found along this stretch of the Brisbane River, cascading from a coolamon, acknowledging the biocultural connection passing from, and reaching through, generations. Coolamons were traditionally made and used by Indigenous Australians for agricultural purposes and for carrying infants, they are symbols of abundance and represent intergenerational caring for Country. The murmuration of the food and medicine plants echoes the curve of our river – they reference the health of river systems in their surrounding biodiversity. Health is Wealth.
Jody works with a variety of mediums and practices across object making, painting, sound, performance, sculpture and public art.
Commissioned in acknowledgement of BCEC’s Reconciliation Action Plan, 2023/2024.
Ingredients to Wealth can be viewed on Plaza Level.