This project’s aim was to create a mural reflective of a local community’s values. After a 6-month consultation process, the community expressed their desire for a mural which celebrated Native bush tucker, First Nations people and our spiritual connection to nature.

 Context

Cook is a suburb in Belconnen in Canberra, Australia. The suburb is named after Captain James Cook and the sixth Prime Minister of Australia Sir Joseph Cook. The streets in Cook are named after notable women from Australian history. Cook has a small shopping centre including the independent supermarket Cook Grocer, the Little Oink, To All My Friends bar, Jina's Hair Salon for men and Prestige Oysters fish monger. The location of this wall is adjacent to tall gum trees and is opposite a park and oval.

The first stage of the Community Engagement Process for this project was to Inform. The owners of the wall, The Cook Grocer, had posted on social media their interest to have this wall painted. After an initial meeting and agreement for ACTIVART to undertake this project, an application for a Creative Endeavour Grant from Transport Canberra and City Services was made.

The next stage of the CEP was to Consult. This projects consultation process involved social media engagement by The Cook Grocer, consultation with the neighbouring shop owners, a suggestions box located at the store and consultations with local First Nations members and environmental groups. We liaised with Friends from Mt Painter, Adam Shipp from Yurbay and Ngunnawal Elder Tyrone Bell.

After this consultation period it became clear that the local community was deeply interested in the local environment and First Nations representation. Surrounding this theme, we asked the community two questions, the first being what type of Native Plants, Bush Tucker and/or Animals would you like to see in this mural? and what does community mean to you? This ascertained our consultation was specific and provided helpful inputs. The community provided hundreds of suggestions and responses, which was interpreted into a 30m length mural.

A primary theme emerged of our local environment and our connection to it. Below are some photos from our consultation process report.

Wiradjuri woman Dhani Gilbert is the subject of this mural. Dhani is an Indigenous rights activist studying a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability at the Australian National University. She was named 2018 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year for her advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For her contributions to her city and her culture, she was recognised as the 2021 ACT Young Woman of the Year. She requested for a red belly black snake in the mural.

The design featured Dhani Gilbert laying sleeping along the length of the wall. From her body grows plants from the local area advised by Adam Shipp. These include Happy Wanderer, Yam Daisy, Silver Bansia, Chocolate Lily, Blue bells, Salt Bush and Native Raspberry. The roots from the plants burrow into her figure, contrasted with white. A red belly black snake curls up her hip, nearby, a black cockatoo is framed by silver banksias. Community members shared that during the 2019/2020 bushfires, black cockatoos migrated to the Cook area. In the background is a silhouette of local Mt Painter.

The Cook Grocer also had plans to construct an Urban Garden with Native Bush Tucker and educational information. The mural displayed some of these plants, connecting the spaces together educationally.

Photoshopped design of Cook Grocer Mural. Designed by Faith Kerehona, 2020.

Some of the written and online community responses for the mural. Report compiled by Karena Hinman, 2020.

The next stage of the Community Engagement Process was to Educate. The community was informed about the mural’s creation via a local radio show interview with Faith and Cook Grocer Owner, Daniel. A promotional video was also made by TCSS during the creation of the mural, and an information board which was designed and installed after the murals completion. See below for the educational and promotional material.

Interview with Daniel Raad, Faith Kerehona and Presenter Kim Huynh at ABC Radio, Canberra. Broadcasted Sun 21st Feb 2021.

TCSS promotional and educational video for the Cook Mural, 2021.

The next stage of the mural was Co-create. In this project, the community didn’t participate directly in the painting of the mural, but their inputs and ideas directly informed and contributed to the design. In this sense, their ideas and perspectives created the design that was chosen and their input was essential to the final result. Additionally the community engagement through the educational and informative material ensured their involvement with the process of the painting. Daily posts advertising when the mural was being painted encouraged community members to come and say hello, have a chat, and see the process for themselves. Some community members heard the radio show and came to visit after that.

The final stage of this project was Empower. There are multiple factors that contribute to this stage. Firstly, the in-depth community consultation and engagement ensured community voices were prioritised and listened to and the resulting artwork would be one they feel connected to. It was important the community felt prioritised and involved in this process and the fantastic marketing done by Karena Hinman ascertained relevant and consistent updates were made. Secondly, the suburb of Cook isn’t highly developed compared to other areas of Canberra. The mural that had been painted there previously had been unchanged for 10 years. The community felt a renewed sense of pride and connection to the area with the creation of the mural as it transformed the surrounding shops and local businesses. Lastly, empowerment was fostered through the representation and collaboration with First Nations people. The contributions and perspectives of Adam Shipp, Tyrone Bell and Dhani Gilbert were instrumental in this mural and was important to represent as a permanent feature of this suburb.

The installed information board by Branded Graphics adjacent to the mural, 2021.

After the murals completion, The Cook Grocer continued to work with Adam Shipp to create a community bush tucker garden with local and native flora and the bush-tucker included in the mural. This marked the completion of the space transformation and the mural and garden work in conjunction to educate, empower, and transform this community space.

Photographs of the Cook Grocer Mural, 2021. Photographed by Sally Witchalls.

Dhani Gilbert in front of her portrait, 2021. Photographed by Sally Witchalls.

Karena, Adam, Faith, Daniell and Sally in front of the mural, 2021. Photographed by Sally Witchalls.

Community Engagement Process (CEP) for Cook Grocer Mural

Photographs of the Cook Grocer wall prior to the project. Local graffiti artists completed this previous wall between 2005-2006. Photographs from The Cook Grocer Instagram.

Photographs of the complete mural, 2021. Photographed by Faith Kerehona.

Photographs of the community members taking part in constructing the Bush Tucker Garden. Photographed by Sally Witchalls, 2021.