A Noongar Saltwater woman who weaves and eco-dyes on her Narraweena stove top is now a finalist in the Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award.
“Eco dyeing is happening on our stove at the moment,” says artist Jodie Dowd.
“The smells just fill our home. You have to remember to open the door with some eucalypts, or you can get dizzy.”
Jodie and partner Nathan, also an Indigenous artist, now call Narraweena home. Have done since 2020. “While everyone is moving out of Sydney, we move in,” she says.
Jodie is a Noongar woman, belonging to the Menang, Gitja, and Wangai nations of Noongar Boodjar in Western Australia. But she grows up in South-east Victoria, in Gunai/Kurnai Country. The link between these geographically opposite places and the Northern Beaches is the ocean. She is a Saltwater Woman.
“I live in Canberra for about eight years but keep having to move houses,” she says. “I love Canberra but the mountains … I keep moving. I guess searching. But I’m very happy here.”
She might grow up on the other side of her ancestral country but the saltwater connection is strong. “I’m a swimmer and swim at the beach and the pool. Water inspires me and I feel like weaving is very similar to water; the flow which comes from working with the materials.”
On her dad’s side, Jodie is fourth generation Irish; she says the mix of cultures ‘is just normal’ to her. “My little sister is back on Country at the moment. She is a singer and is using her art to re-instil language. My brother is a social worker. Mum does community and family support. Dad is ex-RAF. And then there’s my nan, coming up to 90. She’s the matriarch of the family.”
Jodie weaves from the age of five; she is taught by her elders. But it’s only when she comes to the peninsula that her teaching reaches a broader audience. She educates many out of the Northern Beaches Libraries network on how to weave in this ancient way.
Traditionally her elders weave baskets, fishing nets, and adornments. Nowadays, Jodie weaves (and uses) baskets and jewellery, like earrings. “Down south they would still be making nets.”
In 2023, she is selected as the inaugural curator in Northern Beaches Council’s Emerging Curator Program, at Curl Curl Creative Space.
In March this year, this self-proclaimed ‘lifelong learner’ goes full (professional) artist, inspired by the size of the creative community on the beaches. “I find myself teaching much more and going to exhibitions and meeting other artists,” she says. “There’s a lot of First Nations people here as well. I’ve found it’s a lovely way to connect.”
Immediately before turning pro, she completes the management of a half-million dollar program at the Australian Film and Television School. “I train some mob in regional and remote areas.” We do podcast training, filmmaking and screenwriting. After this, I’m tired and I just want to go back to my peace.”
Fittingly, ‘peace’ is an overwhelming emotion Jodie gleans from weaving: “It helps me to think and not think, if I could describe it this way. Because I’ve been doing it for so long, the rhythm is ingrained. It’s meditative.”
She asks her elders if she can teach it to everyone and, in 2020, gets this permission.
Gaining permission is important to her. Respecting other Peoples’ lands and the things which come from them. For weaving, she uses raffia, seagrass, lomandra and pandanus. “But I don’t harvest these because I’m a visitor to this Country,” she says. “It’s my practice to not harvest unless I have been given permission.
“I bring this respect to every Country I am on. I ask permission to take things from the land and I’m careful not to pick up anything I shouldn’t. I want to care for the environment. A lot of our practice is taking only what you need, and giving back something.”
“I ask permission to take things from the land and I’m careful not to pick up anything I shouldn’t. I want to care for the environment.”
She goes to other workshops, keen to absorb as much as possible. A master weaver comes to the beaches and Jodie does a class with her.
“The teacher and her grannies bring some pandanus which they eco-dye. They also teach me different ways to weave.”
Jodie is even invited onto a number of film sets as a weaver, employed by the production teams to provide soothing relief to actors in-between takes. “It can get a bit boring on film sets,” she says. “I weave with the actors while things are setting up. They generally yarn and weave.”
Despite this, she does not call herself a ‘master weaver’, and is really not sure she ever will: “Because I’m still learning. I think there’s always room to learn.”
Wherever she is teaching she wants people to be calm. She is aiming for people to feel nurtured: “Being in a room with other women, weaving together, using their hands to create. It frees up your mind to speak to other people. Connections are made like this.”
In breaking news, it is just announced, Jodie is a finalist in the Koori Mail Indigenous Art Award for the work (English translation) Black Swan Leads Me Home. It’s her first national award nomination.
Selected from entries across Australia, the award finalists’ works span painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, moving image and fibre art. Winners are announced on 7 November.
Back to the pungent kitchen, and Jodie is experimenting with different plant kin (‘kin’ as in family, further connecting plants to country and place). The eucalyptus she’s cooking are traditionally used to cleanse – as in a smoking ceremony: “But in this case, I’m not using them in that way.”
“I’m also gathering lots of books about eco-dyeing. I’m learning about the properties of different plants – their medicinal use. The whole thing is pretty awesome. Our kitchen is a test area. Other plants have softer colours and there is a lovely lemon scent.
“I”ve also been using lily pilly and rosella. They smell beautiful. Really fruity and lovely. They’re revitalising.”
