Logan mural pays tribute to Indigenous warriors

Ella Archibald-Binge, SBS Australia, 10 Jul 2019

A towering new work of art in Logan aims to provide a window into First Nations culture.

 

A bold mural featuring Indigenous warriors has been unveiled in the city of Logan in Queensland’s south east.

 

Splashed across a run-down water tower, the giant piece is the work of Kyra Mancktelow, a young Qandamooka woman from Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island).

 

The 21-year-old says her design pays homage to First Nations warriors, past and present. 

 

Across the centre of the mural are silhouettes of teachers, soldiers, protestors and lawyers, representing the careers of her family and friends. 

"I consider them as my warriors of today," she says. 

 

Overlooking them are the figures of Ms Mancktelow's ancestors or "traditional warriors" - a symbol of the challenges her people have overcome. 

 

“It makes me feel very proud to know what our people have been through and what we have accomplished today.”

 

It’s hoped the mural will highlight the thriving Indigenous population in the multicultural city, which is home to more than 200 different ethnicities. 

 

According to Logan City Councillor Laure Smith, that makes Logan the second most culturally diverse city in the world, after New York.

 

Mr Smith hopes the artwork will become a drawcard for tourists who follow the growing trail of silo and water tower art works popping up across the country. 

"This will put Logan on the map," he says.

 

Ms Mancktelow says she hopes her work will also entice viewers to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

 

"It’s kind of a visual way of talking to people," she says.

 

"I guess a lot of people find it much better to [have] an artwork talk to you rather than, just like, pushing it down their throat."

 

The mural can be viewed at Chester Park in Boronia Heights, Logan.