Exploring the First Nations Represented in Echoes of Earth
Most Australians know that First Nations Australia is rich in history and culture, but fewer realise just how incredibly diverse it is.
There isn’t one First Nations culture.
Each have their own language.
Multiple artistic styles exist. Not just one.
Australia is home to hundreds of distinct First Nations, each with their own languages, cultural practices, stories and deep connections to Country.
One of the things I love most about Echoes of Earth is that visitors don’t just experience contemporary First Nations art—they experience the diversity of the Nations represented by the artists themselves. If you’d like to learn more about why this exhibition has become such an important part of Gallery Unbound, read First Nations Art in Melbourne: Why Echoes of Earth Will Always Have a Place at Gallery Unbound.
This guide introduces the First Nations represented in this year’s exhibition. It isn’t intended to be a comprehensive cultural guide. Rather, it’s an invitation to learn more about the artists, their connections to Country and the stories they choose to share through their work.
A note on Country: The locations below are general only. Country boundaries are complex, and maps may vary. The widely used AIATSIS map is intended as a visual guide rather than a definitive boundary map.
Barkindji
Barkindji Country follows the Baaka (Darling River) through western New South Wales. The river remains central to Barkindji identity and culture.
Artists represented
- Megan Kennedy
- Toneya Kennedy
- Narnz (deep Barkindji family connections)
Barunggam
Barunggam Country is located in south-east Queensland, west of the Great Dividing Range.
Artist represented
Boon Wurrung / Bunurong
Boon Wurrung (Bunurong) Country is part of the Kulin Nation and includes much of Melbourne’s southern coastal region.
Artists represented
Bundjalung
Bundjalung Country extends across northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland.
Artists represented
Darumbal
Darumbal Country is centred around the Rockhampton region of Central Queensland.
Artist represented
Dunghutti
Dunghutti Country lies along the Mid North Coast of New South Wales around Kempsey and the Macleay Valley.
Artist represented
Eora / Gadigal
The Gadigal people are the Traditional Custodians of the area now known as central Sydney and are part of the wider Eora Nation.
Artist represented
Gunditjmara
Gunditjmara Country is in south-west Victoria and is internationally recognised for the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape.
Artist represented
Gunaikurnai
Gunaikurnai Country spans much of Gippsland in eastern Victoria.
Artist represented
Kamilaroi
Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) Country extends across large areas of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.
Artist represented
Kamu
Artist represented
(The artist identifies as Kamu. We encourage readers to learn more through the artist’s own profile and statements.)
Kureinji
Kureinji Country is located in the far south-west of New South Wales near the Murray River.
Artist represented
Nari-Nari / Wemba Wemba
Nari-Nari and Wemba Wemba Countries are located across the Riverina region of New South Wales and northern Victoria.
Artist represented
Ngadjuri
Ngadjuri Country is in the Mid North region of South Australia.
Artist represented
Ngarrindjeri
Ngarrindjeri Country includes the Lower Murray, Lakes and Coorong region of South Australia.
Artists represented
Noongar / Djugun
Alena identifies with both Noongar Country in south-west Western Australia and Djugun Country in the Kimberley region.
Artist represented
Taungurung
Taungurung Country lies across central Victoria and forms part of the Kulin Nation.
Artists represented
Wadawurrung
Wadawurrung Country encompasses much of the Geelong and Ballarat region in Victoria.
Artists represented
Wambaya
Wambaya Country is located in the Barkly Tableland region of the Northern Territory.
Artist represented
Wotjobaluk
Artist represented
Wurundjeri
Wurundjeri Country includes much of present-day Melbourne and forms part of the Kulin Nation.
Artist represented
Wiradjuri
Wiradjuri Country is the largest First Nation in New South Wales, stretching across a significant part of the state’s central region.
Artists represented
Yamatji
Yamatji is a collective identity encompassing a number of Aboriginal groups across the Mid West and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.
Artist represented
Yorta Yorta
Yorta Yorta Country follows the Murray and Goulburn Rivers across northern Victoria and southern New South Wales.
Artists represented
Beyond Australia
Echoes of Earth also celebrates Indigenous connections beyond Australia.
This year’s exhibition includes artists with whakapapa to Tahāroa, Kāwhia, Ngāti Mahuta ki te Tau Hauāuru, Te Iwi o Waikato and Tainui Waka in Aotearoa New Zealand, alongside Hawaiian, Tahitian and Cook Islands heritage.
Artists represented
Continuing the Journey
One of the greatest privileges of curating Echoes of Earth is seeing visitors realise there is no single First Nations story.
Each artist brings their own experiences.
Their own connection to Country.
Their own creative practice.
Together, they remind us that contemporary First Nations art is as diverse as the Nations themselves.
If this article has sparked your curiosity, the next step is simple: spend time with the artists. Read their stories, explore their work and, if you can, visit the Echoes of Earth exhibition. There is no better way to appreciate the richness of First Nations Australia than through the voices of the artists who are sharing it.