Utingarr Sky

Description

The darkness of the Centre of the Milky Way creates the form of the Celestial Emu and how it journeys across our skies periodically from one year to the next. How it sweeps across the sky, legs and neck stretched out as though running in autumn, before diving towards the horizon in winter.

It shows when to collect Emu eggs and when not to, to ensure the next generation’s survival.

The Emu in the sky shows us what the Emus on the land are doing.

Everything is connected in a fundamental universal interconnectedness. 

What is found in the Sky is reflected here on Earth.

The Sky knowledge connects to the food knowledge, which connects to the seasonal knowledge. It all relates in a practical and cyclical way.

What inspired me to paint this painting was the opportunity to live in the forest in Northern NSW, in an area free of light pollution, where I could look truly into the sky and the Milky Way above, every night of the year when the skies were clear.

Increasing levels of light pollution from cities and towns are diminishing the visibility of our celestial heritage greatly, and it becomes more and more difficult to see the knowledge and culture embedded in our dark skies. 

It made me wonder, what are we deprived of without even realising? 

As everything observed in the sky is mirrored on land, and what is observed on land is echoed in the sky.

As certain stars link to the seasonal changes in native plant cycles, migratory patterns of local animals, fruit harvests, local schedules of fire-farming, ceremonial practices and weather patterns. 

All this knowledge is embedded in the Emu in the Sky, creating a network of celestial highways, very much like the Songlines do on land, extending through time and space.

Our Ancestors knew when and what to do simply by looking up into the stars, which takes the phrase ‘everything is written in the stars’ to a whole new level of understanding. Because it literally is.

There is so much more to the Sky-Land relationship than words can describe.

We need to sit underneath the night sky, and this painting reminds me of the times I got to spend looking up and observing.