Recounting and Revival
recounting: to relate or narrate; tell in detail; give the facts or particulars of; revival: to bring back into notice, use or currency; to quicken or renew in the mind; bring back.
Much of our history is present in living memory, either directly or indirectly through second-hand accounts. What is recalled and retold through oral stories, visual performances and art has been a primary means of communication for generations of Indigenous peoples.
Documenting experiences from our declining pool of Elders is becoming increasingly more important as time passes so that knowledge is not lost. Archives, libraries and recorded oral histories are also invaluable resources as we piece together our shared history of this country that has, for too long, been contested, hidden, denied or misdirected.
As we rally against the injustices done to our parents, grandparents, families and communities, Indigenous artists pay homage and respect and further our understanding of their experiences. By recounting and reviving histories, artists continue to reveal and express their cultural connection and reveal personal or community stories that need to be told.
Dale Harding their little black slaves, perished in isolation 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Milani Gallery
