NAIDOC Week Paint and Yarn

Along with many Australians from all walks of life, AGPAL and QIP staff recently took part in a range of activities to support NAIDOC Week 2021. NAIDOC Week offers a great opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As part of our week-long NAIDOC program, members of the AGPAL and QIP Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group, invited staff to congregate and learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture with a particular focus on this year’s theme, ‘Heal Country’.

Our event, ‘To create a story: paint and yarn with Eliza and Justin’ encouraged staff to contribute to an artwork while yarning with Justin and Eliza about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

The artwork comprises seven large circles, linked by paths of different coloured thumbprints bordered with small dots; and smaller circles scattered throughout the piece.

The larger circles represent Australia’s states and territories, while the smaller scattered circles are the various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services and organisations across the nation that engage with AGPAL and QIP.

The paths of coloured thumbprints show the AGPAL and QIP staff and contractors who journey across Country to work with people throughout Australia.

All-in-all, the ‘paint and yarn’ artwork is a representation of the relationship shared between our nation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Centres and organisations, and AGPAL and QIP staff.

The ‘paint and yarn’ session sparked engaging conversations about culture and community, and offered greater insight into the heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The activity played a role in reconciliation and our staff looks forward to other engaging and educational events to learn about and celebrate Indigenous culture.

The ensuing artwork named, Journey Across Country – Learning and Sharing, is not only beautiful; it now serves as a reminder to all AGPAL and QIP staff as well as visitors to the Brisbane office of our own ongoing journey of reconciliation.