Black Wattle Resin & Ochre Paint by Mitch Mahoney

Mitch is a young Boonwurrung artist. He grew up for a time with his family, uncles and aunts, including Maree Clarke near Mildura, a town in Victoria on the Murray River (Dunghala). Mitch has been working with his aunt, Maree Clarke, in Melbourne for about two years to learn from her about telling the stories of his Ancestors through making art.

About the Video

In this video myself, Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung), my great aunt Maree Clarke (Mutti Mutti/Wemba Wemba/Boonwurrung), and other members of our family collect ochre and black wattle resin from Boonwurrung country, located along the beaches/coastline of southeast Melbourne (Naarm), Victoria. We use these materials to create traditional paints by melting down the resin and mixing it with the ochres. The ochre is then used to paint a possum skin cloak for the Koorie Heritage Trust – an Aboriginal cultural centre in Melbourne, which is being used to teach people about Koorie culture. This short film was created on an iPhone.

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