Emergencies

Public Art | Gira Nguma

Council’s successful collaboration with Jarrod Beezley to create a piece of public art for disaster management highlights the importance of integrating cultural perspectives into crucial areas of community life and creates a more inclusive, respectful and resilient community. This approach not only honours the contributions of First Nations peoples but also enhances the overall effectiveness and sustainability of our initiatives.

Council has made formal commitments with our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and are committed to keeping the momentum moving.

Regionwatch Artwork Jarrod WEB 23

Gira Nguma

(Gira (Geera)-Fire, Nguma (Ngooma) - flood)

Jarrod Beezley, 2022

This artwork represents two great and powerful forces of nature and spirit, and their uninterrupted existence for thousands of years.

The left-hand side represents bushfires cyclic season and its assistance required to rejuvenate the country. The red lines represent fire season or actual fires. The yellows and browns are for the dry season.

The green is new growth and the blackened dotting are the chars after a fire.

The right-hand side represents rain in abundance therefore flooding and its propagation effects on the land. The water comes from the mountains and links to water sources such as creeks and rivers, and as the floods recede the land is replenished by the water bringing forth life in the land.

It has power of life and death.

More about the artist

The artist: Reverend Jarrod BeezleyRegionwatch Artwork Jarrod WEB 16

Born in Gladstone and a proud Kabi Kabi and Bandjulang man with a heart for his Nation and for its First Nations People. He has done numerous exhibitions and workshops which include commissioned pieces for the Gladstone Regional Council, Bechtel, GPC Reconciliation week, NAIDOC workshops and Festival of Arts events workshops at Sunfest proving his artistic insights. His endorsement assists to formalise commitment to the First Nations communities and advance reconciliation throughout our country.

Further examples of his work visit www.facebook.com/amarrookennaart