Council buys public artwork Holding Strong in honour of historic 2019 Arakwal Native Title determination
Byron Shire Council has purchased the three-piece sculpture Holding Strong by Nickolla Clark (Arakwal) and Rebekah Seriah Webster located in South Beach Park, Brunswick Heads.
The work honours the Federal Court of Australia's Native Title determination on 30 April 2019 recognising the rights of the Bundjalung People (Arakwal) of Byron Bay.
Byron Shire Mayor Sarah Ndiaye joined artists Nickolla Clark and Rebekah Seriah Webster in South Beach Park today to celebrate and commemorate the cultural significance of their work.
"Holding Strong is a very special piece of public art which celebrates the strength of Arakwal Country and the Elders who fought for recognition," Byron Shire Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye said.
"It looks towards the site where 300 people gathered at Torakina Reserve to celebrate the historic Native Title Determination including participating Elders Lorna Kelly, Yvonne Graham, Linda Vidler and Dulcie Nicholls, all née Kay," she said.
Locals will be familiar with the three-piece sculpture which was originally commissioned as part of the 2024 Brunswick Heads Nature Sculpture Walk curated and project managed by Samantha Moss, a triennial program showcasing temporary sculpture.
The work is made up of three sentinel markers standing three metres tall created out of 100-year-old Gympie Messmate hardwood sourced from the Lismore Botanic Gardens. The hardwood has been carbonised with heat in a treatment which scorches the surface.
Kyogle sculptor Rebecca Seriah Webster formed a mentorship with Arakwal visual artist Nickolla Clark to share skills in treating and carving the large-scale works.
The sculptural forms were inspired by the shape of the leaves of the Bambaa (Banksia), a floral marker signalling the change of season and indicating to the Arakwal people that it is time to move, gather, and live within different areas across Country.
The markers are aligned to face Bundjalung sacred sites: Wollumbin (Cloud Catcher) to the West, Balun (Brunswick River) to the East and Walgun (Cape Byron shoulder) to the South. These significant sites hold deep cultural knowledge, kinship and connections, sustaining Bundjalung relationships with waterways, land and lore.
"We are honoured to have added this culturally significant work to Council's permanent collection, ensuring it remains located and cared for on this important site," the Mayor said.
