Kalkarindji, NT 2019 - Day 10
Our last day in Kalkaringi was here. We woke up and packed up all our things ready to say our last goodbyes to the community. Some of us went straight to the site where we removed the formwork to unveil BBQ 2. The patterns came out neatly and it signified the end of the construction process.
Others went to the Arts Centre to speak to Penny (the Arts Centre Manager). She told us that Kalkaringi is one of the most northern areas in Australia that produces dot painting and that the subject matter tends to be aerial scenes. She spoke of the collaborative work that occurs between husbands and wives, as well as mother and sons. Although money generated through the art is appreciated by the artists, the main objective of the Arts Centre is to allow the passing on of knowledge, culture and story through painting.
We arrived back at the park to Jamie cooking up breakfast on the BBQ. He started cooking bacon and lamb strips on the grill, and cracked some eggs onto a pan. Although many of us had already eaten, we were all eager to enjoy the food cooked on the BBQ we built. The height worked really well, and the additional space on the side of the grill was great as a preparation area.
Not long after, we invited the kids that were playing in the basketball court to come down for some breakfast. They all came running, joined by friends, family and neighbours, and we all ate together. It was great to all use the Shady together, and it gave us hope that this will create an enjoyable space for many in the future. The benchtop was a great success as well, with many of the kids choosing to stand whilst eating. Merilyn, one of the artists that worked on the painting of the Shadys, suggested that she would come to the park everyday now for lunch.
After we took our last photos, we set off on our journey towards Darwin, stopping at Pine Creek for one last hurrah. We all shared our last meal together and reminisced about this amazing experience, and thankful for the Kalkarigni community’s warm hospitality and the friends we’d made.
Liz and Nat
Image by Natalie Cain
Image by Liz Seah
Image by Liz Seah
