Narissa Creative Studio

In honour of the closing of NAIDOC Week 2026 and this year’s theme, 50 Years of Deadly, I am so excited to share my Acknowledgement of Country artwork, which will soon be hanging proudly at The Village.

This piece took several months to create, and I am honoured to finally share its story.

🤎The Story – York (Woman)🤎

The outer symbols represent women in traditional Aboriginal art, shown through the curved “U” shape, a digging stick and a coolamon. Flowing pathways and resting places symbolise the journey of women and motherhood across generations, from our ancestors to the women we are today.

The dots and egg-like patterns represent the journey of life itself. Beginning with the outer circle of white dots, they symbolise our eggs, menstruation, fertilisation and the final stage of our tiny humans growing within us. Together, they honour the cycles, creation and transformation that connect generations of women through motherhood.

Four textured circles acknowledge the realities of womanhood and motherhood, including pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, birth trauma, postpartum depression and the many unseen experiences women carry.

Moving inward, the repeated “U” shapes represent women gathering in community, women of all ages, cultures and experiences coming together to form a village. The two flowing lines within the centre represent Ciara and Kathleen, founders of The Village, while also symbolising the connection between practitioner and mother.

At the centre stands a woman inspired by The Village logo. She represents women in all stages of life, honouring the diversity of women’s bodies and the practitioners, mothers and women who walk through The Village doors.

The background dots represent life itself, while the meeting places within her body symbolise her mind, heart, womb, strength, wisdom and nurturing spirit.

This artwork honours women in their entirety: mind, body and spirit. A special mention to my son, Taj, who helped choose the colours and used his tiny fingers alongside mine to blend the first layers of paint.

Above all, this artwork is a reminder that motherhood was never meant to be walked alone.

It takes a village.