The Banyans are thrilled to have recently acquired a series of commissioned artworks for display at our rehabilitation residence by proud Gooreng Gooreng, Kabi Kabi, South Sea Island, and Welsh artist Silvia Jones-Terare. Drawing on her knowledge and wisdom of the landforms, plants, animals and cultural rituals of the tribes in Southeast Queensland, each artwork represents various facets of healing through a First Nations lens.
Before producing the works, Silvia visited The Banyans rehabilitation residence to understand our holistic approach to healing and the unique environment that surrounds it. She says, “The theme for me was definitely about healing, the strengthening and healing that is always constant in our lives. This can be simple, like putting your feet in the dirt, sand, or water. Doing this in your own country is awesome too. Even looking at an absolutely beautiful view and talking to your ancestors, no matter what background you’re from. A lot of people come home feeling really great, and there’s a reason behind that. These are all things you have around here.”
The Banyans CEO, Ruth Limkin, states of the series, “These artworks are such a beautiful celebration of the abundant natural healing environment surrounding us at The Banyans. There’s an evident narrative that tells of a coming back to nature in each piece, bringing a powerful visual storytelling element to the healing work that we do here. We look forward to seeing Silvia’s pieces form a very special part of our guest’s own healing experience at The Banyans”.
“These artworks are such a beautiful celebration of the abundant natural healing environment surrounding us at The Banyans. There’s an evident narrative that tells of a coming back to nature in each piece, bringing a powerful visual storytelling element to the healing work that we do here. We look forward to seeing Silvia’s pieces form a very special part of our guest’s own healing experience at The Banyans”
RUTH LIMKIN
CEO OF THE BANYANS HEALTHCARE GROUP
About the Series
Health & Wellbeing
“This story represents the holistic approach to health and wellbeing that our ancestors used for thousands of years. Bush tucker such as “Davidson Plums, Lillipillis, and Finger Limes” are all native to Southeast Queensland and are rich in vitamins and nutrients. I have included leaves to represent healing and cleansing, which many tribes have used for the use of bush medicines and for smoking ceremonies to cleanse and strengthen our spirit.
The symbols on the border and white dots represent the tribes of Southeast Queensland and their physical and spiritual connection to these specific types of fruits and leaves. I have chosen the colours for the border to represent the difference in tribes’ water, land, and bush.” – Silvia Jones-Terare
SACRED MOUNTAINS
“For thousands of years, many mountains have been a sacred place for many Aboriginal people, not only to map out our country and talk about significant places for travelling, where there are birthing caves and certain spots where they have ceremony. They will use caves within mountains as shelter in the wet season and will paint the walls to tell stories, and for generations to come, their stories can be seen and shared amongst many other travellers. Their stories can be about food, medicines, shelter, spirits and tribal boundaries.” – Silvia Jones-Terare
THE BANYAN
“This painting represents this health and wellness home, the bush land, and the surrounding landscapes. I have used symbols of animal tracks representing local animals such as goannas, honey ants, wallabies, emus, and witchetty grubs. The symbols on the outside represent the communities and everyone who has been involved in the healing process within this home.” – Silvia Jones-Terare
HEALING ON COUNTRY
“This painting speaks about the importance of connecting to the earth by taking your shoes off, putting your feet in the dirt, clay or sand, and speaking with our ancestors. Especially when visiting your own country, this is a practice that has been used for many years to strengthen and heal our spirits. Doing this has many healing benefits, whether on your country or other country. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people return to country multiple times throughout a year for that healing process.” – Silvia Jones-Terare
About the Artist
Silvia Jones-Terare is a proud Gooreng Gooreng, Kabi Kabi, South Sea Island, Welsh woman. Over the past ten years, Jones-Terare has dedicated her time to working within various communities in Queensland, with a passion for connecting First Nations people with their family history, culture, and elders. Her cultural connection, community involvement and experiences have played a significant role in shaping her artwork.
Throughout her life, Jones-Terare has been fortunate to receive guidance from numerous mentors, who have supported her not only in her artistic endeavours but also in her career in community services. She has a deep reverence for her culture and takes every opportunity to learn from her elders and community. Jones-Terare is dedicated to passing on the knowledge she has gained to future generations in the hopes of assisting them in maintaining a strong connection to their cultural heritage.
