Beyond Everlasting UGUDUNGU
Banksia at Kalbarri by Natasha Lloyd
- Artist: Natasha Lloyd
- Title: Banksia at Kalbarri
- Size: 92cm x 65cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA and Broome, WA
The Banksia of Kalbarri holds a deep and steady place in my heart. To me, it is more than a flower — it is a living echo of Nhunda Country in Western Australia, the land my mother’s ancestors walked long before me.
From childhood, I’ve been drawn to the banksia flower — its strength, its form, and the way it stands resilient against the coastal winds.
This painting is shaped by the pink salt lakes, the softly glowing pink skies, and the winding Murchison River that cuts through the Kalbarri region, where the banksia grows along the rugged escarpment. Those colours — gentle, warm, and quietly powerful — have lived in my memory, carrying the feeling of standing on Nhunda Country at dusk as the land shifts into evening light. Creating this work is my way of honouring that place and the significance it holds.
The painting carries the tender pink hues of Kalbarri — the skies at dusk, the shimmering salt lakes, the calm flow of the Murchison River, and that warm, glowing stillness that lingers over the land.
Beyond Everlasting Ugudungu
- Artist: Faye Parriman, Natasha Lloyd, Celina Lloyd, Leticia Lloyd, Jessica Lloyd
- Title: Beyond Everlasting Ugudungu
- Size: 152cm x 145cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa WA
Due to the large size of this piece, shipping is $200 to capital cities within Australia. If insurance is required, please email info@aboriginalbushtraders.com to arrange payment.
Butterfly Springs by Leticia Lloyd
- Artist: Leticia Lloyd
- Title: Butterfly Springs
- Size: 65cm x 90cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
Nudagun is where we camp far way from the butterfly springs. When someone or something disturbs the springs, the butterflies fly past the paperbark trees all the way to Nudagun. When we see the butterflies lost at Nudagun, we know someone is coming.
Leticia Lloyd
Leticia Lloyd is a contemporary Aboriginal and digital artist whose work explores colour, pattern, emotion and the calming rhythms of ocean Country. Working across both traditional and digital mediums, her artistic practice reflects strong connections to family, culture and the intergenerational knowledge shared through both saltwater and desert wildflower Country.
A graduate of the Diploma of Arts at Charles Darwin University, Leticia combines contemporary Aboriginal art practices with digital illustration and design. Her work often incorporates flowing movement, layered colour palettes and intricate patterning inspired by the ocean, natural landscapes and moments spent on Country with family.
Leticia is also recognised internationally through her published colouring book Serenity Mandala Collection: Inspired by the Ocean, available through Amazon. The publication reflects her interest in mindfulness, creativity and the therapeutic qualities of art, drawing inspiration from ocean textures, marine life and the peaceful rhythms of saltwater environments.
Coming from a strong family lineage of artists and cultural educators, Leticia’s creative practice is deeply influenced by her grandmother, Faye Parriman, a respected Yamatji and Noongar artist, educator and Stolen Generations survivor, as well as her mother, Natasha Lloyd, an award-winning contemporary Aboriginal artist. Her artistic influences are also shaped by her grandfather Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru cultural educator and storyteller from the West Kimberley whose teachings continue to inspire the family’s connection to saltwater Country.
Alongside her sisters Celina Lloyd and Jessica Lloyd, Leticia contributes to a growing intergenerational family art practice grounded in storytelling, cultural continuity and lived experiences on Country. Through time spent on both desert wildflower and saltwater Country, her work reflects ongoing learning, cultural connection and family memory.
In Beyond Everlastings, Leticia presents works that celebrate the strength of intergenerational knowledge and the enduring connections between land, sea and family. Her contemporary artistic practice honours the stories and cultural teachings passed through generations while bringing a fresh and evolving perspective to contemporary Aboriginal art.
Carnot Bay (Nudagun) by Natasha Lloyd
- Artist: Natasha Lloyd
- Title: Carnot Bay (Nudagun)
- Size: 92cm x 65cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA and Broome, WA
Carnot Bay—known as Nudagun, meaning "place of fire"—is located on our Jabirr Jabirr country in the West Kimberley. Our family’s homeland at Carnot Bay is also called Nudagun.
The three circles represent a group of three springs on Jabirr Jabirr country. This is our family's homeland, where we maintain a deep, ongoing responsibility for both the stories and the country itself.
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The Two Larger Springs: These are surrounded by mudflats and become completely encircled by water during high spring tides.
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The Smaller Spring: This spring is hidden within the bushland, located close to the living area.
The Legend of the Fire Spirit
The springs at Nudagun are the home of the fire spirit ancestor, who was originally the sole keeper of fire.
Two spirit people from the north travelled toward Nudagun and saw the smoke of the flames. They hid quietly in the bush, waiting until the dead of night before creeping into the camp to steal the fire from its keeper.
Awoken by the noise, the fire spirit immediately gave chase. The two spirit people ran and ran, and as they fled, they created creeks and bays behind them in a desperate attempt to slow the fire spirit down. Today, these very creeks and bays form the traditional boundaries for the clans and language groups of the region.
When the spirit people were nearly home, they created one final bay that the fire spirit could not cross. Staying safely behind this last bay, the two spirit people secured their language's boundary—and forever brought fire to people.
The 3 Circles
The three circles represent the three springs with the top spring, known as the Butterfly Springs. At the end of the dry season when the weather starts to heat up the spring is filled with butterflies and if you stand quiet and still they will land on you. The outer red and black colour represents the fire and charcoal from the fire spirits fire.
Natasha Lloyd
Natasha Lloyd is a contemporary Aboriginal artist whose work reflects deep connections to both desert wildflower and saltwater Country, drawing on family stories, lived experiences and intergenerational cultural knowledge. Through vibrant colour, layered symbolism and storytelling, her paintings explore themes of identity, memory, Country and cultural continuity.
An established artist with exhibitions presented both locally and interstate, Natasha has developed a strong contemporary practice that moves across fine art, textiles and design. Her artworks have been reproduced for clothing, textiles and wall hangings, bringing contemporary Aboriginal art into fashion and interior design spaces while continuing to share stories of Country and culture through new mediums.
Natasha’s artistic achievements have been recognised through Top End NAIDOC honours as Artist of the Year, acknowledging her contribution to contemporary Indigenous art practice. She is also a recipient of the prestigious David Blanasi Acquisitive Art Award, recognising the strength and significance of her artistic work within the Northern Territory arts community.
As the daughter of Faye Parriman, a respected Yamatji and Noongar artist, educator and Stolen Generations survivor, Natasha’s practice is deeply informed by storytelling, resilience and cultural survival. Her artistic influences are also strongly connected to her father, Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru carver, storyteller and cultural educator from the West Kimberley. His teachings, stories and strong connection to saltwater Country continue to shape the family’s artistic and cultural practices.
Natasha’s work reflects the richness of these combined cultural influences. Having spent significant time on both saltwater and desert wildflower Country with family, her paintings capture memories of place, seasonal changes, family journeys and cultural teachings shared across generations. Through her contemporary Aboriginal art practice, she honours inherited stories while also expressing her own lived experiences and evolving connection to Country.
As both an artist and mother, Natasha has played a significant role in nurturing the creative practices of her daughters Celina Lloyd, Leticia Lloyd and Jessica Lloyd. Together, they continue an evolving intergenerational family dialogue through art, grounded in storytelling, cultural learning and shared experiences on Country.
In Beyond Everlastings, Natasha presents works that speak to family memory, cultural strength and the enduring relationships between land, sea and sky Country. Her paintings contribute to the exhibition’s broader exploration of intergenerational knowledge, resilience and the continuation of cultural storytelling through contemporary Aboriginal art.
Dancing Dugongs by Natasha Lloyd
- Artist: Natasha Lloyd
- Title: Dancing Dugongs
- Size: 65cm x 90cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
Dancing Dugongs
Dugongs travelling together across the saltwater north of Broome are part of an old adventure my dad shared—one shaped by the tides, the reef, and the deep knowledge of Jabirr Jabirr Country. He was out on the ocean one morning, doing what our people have always done: hunting, gathering, and reading the water like a map passed down through generations.
As he drifted along the coastline, two dugongs appeared beside the boat. They moved with the calm confidence of old wise spirits, rising to the surface - following the rhythm of the sea and each other. Then the adventure began. The dugongs circled the boat, dancing in slow, powerful movements. They placed seaweed on their heads like ceremonial headdresses, as if preparing for a dance.
The linework and patterns in the dugongs reflect the stories and traditional designs of Jabirr Jabirr Country— where our ancestors travelled the currents, the dunes, the reef systems, and the pathways. The shells scattered along the shoreline are reminders of the old people, the tides, and the way Country always leaves signs for those who know how to look.
Inside the dugongs, the turtles represent my signature—my three daughters—who travel with me in every story and every artwork. They are part of my journey, just as the dugongs were part of my dad’s.
The pastel colours bring softness to the piece, echoing the gentle relationship between the dugongs and the calm waters of Broome. The yellow lines flowing through the background represent drifting seaweed, tying the artwork back to that moment on the ocean when two dugongs shared their dance with my dad.
Natasha Lloyd
Natasha Lloyd is a contemporary Aboriginal artist whose work reflects deep connections to both desert wildflower and saltwater Country, drawing on family stories, lived experiences and intergenerational cultural knowledge. Through vibrant colour, layered symbolism and storytelling, her paintings explore themes of identity, memory, Country and cultural continuity.
An established artist with exhibitions presented both locally and interstate, Natasha has developed a strong contemporary practice that moves across fine art, textiles and design. Her artworks have been reproduced for clothing, textiles and wall hangings, bringing contemporary Aboriginal art into fashion and interior design spaces while continuing to share stories of Country and culture through new mediums.
Natasha’s artistic achievements have been recognised through Top End NAIDOC honours as Artist of the Year, acknowledging her contribution to contemporary Indigenous art practice. She is also a recipient of the prestigious David Blanasi Acquisitive Art Award, recognising the strength and significance of her artistic work within the Northern Territory arts community.
As the daughter of Faye Parriman, a respected Yamatji and Noongar artist, educator and Stolen Generations survivor, Natasha’s practice is deeply informed by storytelling, resilience and cultural survival. Her artistic influences are also strongly connected to her father, Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru carver, storyteller and cultural educator from the West Kimberley. His teachings, stories and strong connection to saltwater Country continue to shape the family’s artistic and cultural practices.
Natasha’s work reflects the richness of these combined cultural influences. Having spent significant time on both saltwater and desert wildflower Country with family, her paintings capture memories of place, seasonal changes, family journeys and cultural teachings shared across generations. Through her contemporary Aboriginal art practice, she honours inherited stories while also expressing her own lived experiences and evolving connection to Country.
As both an artist and mother, Natasha has played a significant role in nurturing the creative practices of her daughters Celina Lloyd, Leticia Lloyd and Jessica Lloyd. Together, they continue an evolving intergenerational family dialogue through art, grounded in storytelling, cultural learning and shared experiences on Country.
In Beyond Everlastings, Natasha presents works that speak to family memory, cultural strength and the enduring relationships between land, sea and sky Country. Her paintings contribute to the exhibition’s broader exploration of intergenerational knowledge, resilience and the continuation of cultural storytelling through contemporary Aboriginal art.
Digging for Yams by Faye Parriman
- Artist: Faye Parriman
- Title: Digging for Yams
- Size: 88cm x 64cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA
Yam Story
As a young girl I grew up in a Mission and on the weekend when the yams were in season. Many of us girls would go to gather bush tuckers in the bushes nearby.
We found a small plant and started digging. We sat around the plant with our digging sticks and dug deep into the soft soil and pulled out many jams. We laughed and yarned about happy times.
The yams are long and sweet some are big like a cucumber others are smaller.
I loved going out gathering bush tuckers which we regularly did.
Dr Faye Parriman
Dr Faye Parriman is a proud Yamatji and Noongar woman, artist, educator, researcher and community advocate whose work reflects a lifetime of cultural knowledge, storytelling and service to Aboriginal families and communities. Through painting, education and cultural leadership, Faye’s practice speaks of resilience, survival, identity and enduring connection to Country.
Her artworks draw from memories of growing up in the desert and wildflower Country of Western Australia, as well as her lived experiences as a member of the Stolen Generations after being removed from family and taken to Tardun Mission. Through rich colour, symbolism and layered storytelling, Faye’s paintings communicate both the hardship and strength carried through generations while honouring the ongoing connection Aboriginal people maintain with Country, culture and family.
Alongside her artistic practice, Faye has dedicated more than three decades to Aboriginal family support, parenting research, community education and culturally responsive practice across remote and urban communities throughout the Northern Territory. In recognition of her significant contribution to education, Indigenous advocacy and community leadership, Charles Darwin University awarded Faye an Honorary Doctor of Letters in 2025.
A major part of her legacy is Faye Parriman’s Minga Yarning Mat, a culturally safe engagement tool designed to support Aboriginal families through visual storytelling and yarning practices. Used by family support workers, educators, counsellors, child protection practitioners and Aboriginal community-controlled organisations such as CONGRESS in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), the Yarning Mat creates safer and more respectful conversations by helping families map relationships, strengths, worries, supports and external pressures in culturally meaningful ways.
Faye’s artistic and cultural influence extends strongly through her family. She is the mother of contemporary Aboriginal artist Natasha Lloyd and grandmother to artists Celina Lloyd, Leticia Lloyd and Jessica Lloyd. Together, they continue an evolving intergenerational artistic practice grounded in storytelling, cultural continuity and shared experiences on both desert wildflower and saltwater Country.
Her family’s artistic practice is also deeply connected to her husband Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru cultural educator, storyteller and carver from the West Kimberley. Together, their teachings, stories and cultural knowledge continue to inspire younger generations and shape the family’s creative practice.
In Beyond Everlastings, Faye’s works form an important foundation for the exhibition’s exploration of intergenerational memory, Country and cultural survival. Her paintings, alongside the collaborative family work Ugudungu, honour the strength of storytelling carried through generations and the enduring cultural knowledge that continues to guide family, community and future generations.
Fat Goanna Time by Jessica Lloyd
- Artist: Jessica Lloyd
- Title: Fat Goanna Time
- Size: 66cm x 90cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
Jessica Lloyd
Jessica Lloyd is a contemporary Aboriginal artist whose work explores Creation stories, sky Country, ancestral knowledge and the deep spiritual relationships between land, sea and sky. Through vibrant colour, symbolism and storytelling, her paintings reflect cultural teachings passed through generations and her own lived experiences connecting with Country alongside family.
Jessica is widely recognised for her solo exhibition Sky Country, which explored the significance of stars, celestial movement and ancestral storytelling within Aboriginal cultural knowledge systems. Her works interpret the connections between sky Country and Creation time narratives, expressing the ways stories, navigation, identity and spirituality are embedded within the night sky and carried through generations.
Her artistic practice is grounded in strong family and cultural influences. Jessica is the granddaughter of Faye Parriman, a respected Yamatji and Noongar artist, educator and Stolen Generations survivor whose storytelling and advocacy have profoundly shaped the family’s creative practice. She is also the daughter of Natasha Lloyd, an award-winning contemporary Aboriginal artist known for works reflecting both desert and saltwater Country connections. Jessica’s cultural influences are further shaped by her grandfather Kevin Parriman, a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru storyteller, cultural educator and carver from the West Kimberley whose teachings continue to inspire the family’s connection to saltwater Country.
Jessica’s artistic achievements include creating Sky, Land and Sea Country, the specially commissioned artwork presented as the official stump gift for the National Indigenous Cricket Championships for NT Cricket in 2026. The work celebrated the journeys that bring people together from across Australia through cricket while honouring deep connections between family, culture and Country.
Alongside her sisters Celina Lloyd and Leticia Lloyd, Jessica continues a strong intergenerational artistic practice shaped by time spent on both saltwater and desert wildflower Country. Through visits to family homelands, shared storytelling and cultural learning on Country, her work reflects ongoing connections to place, memory and ancestral knowledge.
In Beyond Everlastings, Jessica presents works that honour the interconnectedness of sky, land and sea Country while continuing family narratives of cultural survival, storytelling and identity. Her contemporary practice reflects both inherited cultural knowledge and her own artistic interpretation of Country, contributing to the ongoing intergenerational dialogue shared throughout the exhibition.
Love By Moonlight by Leticia Lloyd
- Artist: Leticia Lloyd
- Title: Love By Moonlight
- Size: 93cm x 70cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA Broome, WA
Love By Moonlight
Brolgas mate for life. One dance is all it takes for them to find their soulmate. The brolgas I paint are from Jabir Jabir Country. You can find them near one of the freshwater springs along the salt plains. Love by Moonlight' is a romantic piece that celebrates love and connection to Country.
Southern Cross by Jessica Lloyd
- Artist: Jessica Lloyd
- Title: Southern Cross
- Size: 90cm x 65cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
The Southern Cross
Uncle the Eagle Hawk and two little boys, Pigeon and Wagtail. The boys used to take their uncle hunting for Bush honey and small animals such as lizards and bandicoots. To find the bush honey they would catch and stick a piece of grass or feather to the bee to make it stand out in the bush so they could follow it to their nest. It always led to Bush honey. When they told their uncle, he would make them climb the tree and hand down the honey to him or he would climb the tree himself and eat most of it and only leaving them a small amount. Uncle had a habit of leaving the boys with little to eat cooking and eating all the food for himself. This led to him being known as the Greedy Uncle. One day the boys were fed up with the uncle. So, they decided to trick him by digging a hole and placing sharp sticks at the bottom and then covering the hole with leaves. They then sung out to the uncle, “possum possum” in the hole. He knew the boys were good hunters, believing them he rushed over and started stamping on the leaves. The sticks/stakes went through his foot making him very sick. He asked for the healers to come and heal his feet, but his feet were very swollen and toxic, full of poison. The healers said they couldn't do anything for him. Uncle died and his feet turned into Talons. The talons then broke off and flew into the sky when the feet flew into the sky and became the Southern Cross. When you look into the sky today, we can see the Southern Cross and the stake at the dead centre of the claw. This is the story of our people.
Tracks Home - Bush Tucker by Celina Lloyd
- Artist: Celina Lloyd
- Title: Tracks Home - Bush Tucker
- Size: 66cm x 91cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
TRACKS HOME
At Tardun Mission, some days, Nan would find herself in trouble for incidents like laughing or running late to class, normal things kids do. When she would get into trouble, she was often punished or beaten.
One particular incident occurred when Nan was around 8 or 9 years old, when she got into trouble and was punished by being forbidden to go to the cinema. She soon discovered that other girls had also been punished and made plans with them to run away while the others were gone. Nan was both excited and nervous about the adventure because she had hoped to see family but risked being caught by the missionaries.
When everyone had gone, Nan and the other girls stuck to their escape plan and left quietly from the dormitories. They snuck through the shrubs and past the first dirt road track; went around the quandong tree and ended up on another dirt road track. They walked along the track, but in the distance they saw car lights approaching; it was the bus. They panicked and ran as fast as they could and found themselves in an off-limits area, the boys' area. Suddenly, they all tripped and fell into a fence. After the fall, Nan's leg felt painful and stung. She looked down and saw it bleeding; she still has the scar today. Nan rested on the ground in pain and hid from the bus; she did not want to get caught.
When the bus drove past, they ran down the field, crossed another dirt road and reached a bush track. The girls followed the bush track and survived on seasonal bush foods like mushrooms and gum; this was enough to stop their hunger. They travelled through the day and night with very little rest.
The girls got excited when they stumbled upon the train track; they knew that if they followed it, it would lead them home to Mullewa. They placed their heads on the train track to listen and feel the vibrations of which way the train was coming from. This helped them decide which way they would go. They agreed to walk along the left side of the train track until they reached Mullewa. They later found out that they had gone the wrong way. Nan was weak, tired, and dehydrated and didn't want to move anymore. She found a tree and lay down under it, trying to regain her energy. This break wasn't for long, as the other girls were anxious and wanted to keep moving, and Nan didn't want to be left behind. After hours of walking, they arrived at a highway and saw a farm and smoke in the distance. They decided they would head towards it.
The girls were hungry and thirsty and started to give up. Nan felt numb, like she would almost die. They took shortcuts through farms and found a little shrubby tree and sat for a while. The girls then saw a white ute drive towards them in the distance and waved the driver down. It was an old white man, and they asked him for a ride. The old man helped the girls and dropped them off at the river near Mullewa.
Nan and the girls walked from the river to their families. Their families hid the children away but knew that soon they were going to be caught by welfare. The girls were home for a couple of days before they were found, and taken away again, marched back to Mullewa train station, putting them on the train back to the mission.
As they got closer, they saw the bus waiting for them. When they returned to Tardun they had to walk down a long dirt road straight to the mission dormitories. The other mission kids laughed, yelled and teased them because they had been caught.
Nan was locked in a dormitory room for hours with two other girls who escaped with her. She could hear Margaret Mary, one of the nuns, say, "You aren't going to be laughing soon'. She unlocked the door and entered the room with another nun. They locked the door behind them, grabbed each girl and held them down, pulled their dresses up and whipped them with a big bamboo cane. The cane stung, leaving Nan with a burning sensation. They had lashes from the top of their backsides that went down to their legs. The Nuns left the room and returned with a pair of scissors, they sat the girls down on the chairs and cut off their hair. Nan could hardly walk, she couldn't sit, and her legs were very swollen and red that she could feel the heat coming off them for days.
This was only one of the many times Nan tried to run away from Tardun Mission.
Running away from Tardun Mission
At Tardun Mission, some days, Nan would find herself in trouble for incidents like laughing or running late to class, normal things kids do. When she would get into troube she was often punished or beaten.
This time, Nan was around 8 or 9 years old when she got into trouble and punished by not being allowed to go to the cinema. She soon discovered that other girls had also been punished and made plans with them to run away while the others were gone. Nan was both excited and nervous about the adventure because she had hoped to see family but risked being caught by the missionaries.
When everyone had gone, Nan and the other girls stuck to their escape plan and left quietly from the dormitories. They snuck through the shrubs and past the first dirt road track; went around the quandong tree and ended up on another dirt road track. They walked along the track, but in the distance, they saw car lights coming towards them, it was the bus. They panicked and ran as fast as they could and found themselves in an off-limits area; the boy’s area. Suddenly they all tripped and fell into a fence. After the fall, Nan’s leg felt painful and stung, she looked down and saw it bleeding, she still has the scar today. Nan rested on the ground in pain and hid from the bus, she did not want to get caught.
When the bus drove past, they ran down the field and crossed another dirt road and reached a bush track. The girls followed the bush track and survived on seasonal bush foods like mushrooms and gum, this was enough to stop their hunger. They travelled through the day and night with very little rest.
The girls got excited when they stumbled across the train track, they knew if they followed this it would lead them home to Mullewa. They placed their heads on the train track to listen and feel the vibrations of which way the train was coming from. This helped them decide which way they would go. They agreed to walk along the left side of the train track until they reached Mullewa. They later found out that they had gone the wrong way.
Nan was weak, tired and dehydrated and didn’t want to move anymore. She found a tree and laid down under it, trying to get her energy back. This break wasn’t for long as the other girls were anxious and wanted to keep moving while they could. Nan didn’t want to be left behind so got up. After hours of walking, they arrived at a highway and saw a farm and smoke in the distance. They decided they would head towards it.
The girls were hungry and thirsty and started to give up. Nan felt numb, like she would almost die. They took short cuts through farms and found a little shrub tree and sat for a while. The girls then saw a white ute drive towards them in the distance and waved the driver down, it was an old white man, and they asked him for a ride. The old man helped the girls and dropped them off at the river near Mullewa.
Nan and the girls walked from the river to their families. Their families hid the children away but knew that soon they were going to be caught by welfare. The girls were home for a couple of days before welfare found them. They took the girls away again and marched them to Mullewa train station, putting them on the train back to Tardun.
As they got closer they saw the bus waiting for them. When they returned to Tardun they had to walk down a long dirt road straight to the mission dormitories. The other mission kids laughed, yelled and teased them because they had been caught.
Nan was locked in a dormitory room for hours with two of the other girls that escaped with her. She could hear Margaret Mary, one of the nuns, ‘You aren’t going to be laughing soon’. She unlocked the door and entered the room with another nun. They locked the door behind them, grabbed each girl and held them down, pulled their dresses up and whipped them with a big bamboo cane. The cane stung and hurt and left Nan feeling a burning sensation. They had lashes from the top of their backsides that went down to their legs. The Nuns left the room and returned with a pair of scissors, they sat the girls down on the chair and cut off their hair.
Nan could hardly walk, she couldn’t sit, and her legs were very swollen and red that she could feel the heat coming off them for days.
This was only one of the many times, Nan tried to run away from Tardun Mission.
Tracks Home - Wild Flowers by Celina Lloyd
- Artist: Celina Lloyd
- Title: Tracks Home - Wild Flowers
- Size: 90cm x 64cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA. Broome, WA
TRACKS HOME
At Tardun Mission, some days, Nan would find herself in trouble for incidents like laughing or running late to class, normal things kids do. When she would get into trouble, she was often punished or beaten.
One particular incident occurred when Nan was around 8 or 9 years old, when she got into trouble and was punished by being forbidden to go to the cinema. She soon discovered that other girls had also been punished and made plans with them to run away while the others were gone. Nan was both excited and nervous about the adventure because she had hoped to see family but risked being caught by the missionaries.
When everyone had gone, Nan and the other girls stuck to their escape plan and left quietly from the dormitories. They snuck through the shrubs and past the first dirt road track; went around the quandong tree and ended up on another dirt road track. They walked along the track, but in the distance they saw car lights approaching; it was the bus. They panicked and ran as fast as they could and found themselves in an off-limits area, the boys' area. Suddenly, they all tripped and fell into a fence. After the fall, Nan's leg felt painful and stung. She looked down and saw it bleeding; she still has the scar today. Nan rested on the ground in pain and hid from the bus; she did not want to get caught.
When the bus drove past, they ran down the field, crossed another dirt road and reached a bush track. The girls followed the bush track and survived on seasonal bush foods like mushrooms and gum; this was enough to stop their hunger. They travelled through the day and night with very little rest.
The girls got excited when they stumbled upon the train track; they knew that if they followed it, it would lead them home to Mullewa. They placed their heads on the train track to listen and feel the vibrations of which way the train was coming from. This helped them decide which way they would go. They agreed to walk along the left side of the train track until they reached Mullewa. They later found out that they had gone the wrong way. Nan was weak, tired, and dehydrated and didn't want to move anymore. She found a tree and lay down under it, trying to regain her energy. This break wasn't for long, as the other girls were anxious and wanted to keep moving, and Nan didn't want to be left behind. After hours of walking, they arrived at a highway and saw a farm and smoke in the distance. They decided they would head towards it.
The girls were hungry and thirsty and started to give up. Nan felt numb, like she would almost die. They took shortcuts through farms and found a little shrubby tree and sat for a while. The girls then saw a white ute drive towards them in the distance and waved the driver down. It was an old white man, and they asked him for a ride. The old man helped the girls and dropped them off at the river near Mullewa.
Nan and the girls walked from the river to their families. Their families hid the children away but knew that soon they were going to be caught by welfare. The girls were home for a couple of days before they were found, and taken away again, marched back to Mullewa train station, putting them on the train back to the mission.
As they got closer, they saw the bus waiting for them. When they returned to Tardun they had to walk down a long dirt road straight to the mission dormitories. The other mission kids laughed, yelled and teased them because they had been caught.
Nan was locked in a dormitory room for hours with two other girls who escaped with her. She could hear Margaret Mary, one of the nuns, say, "You aren't going to be laughing soon'. She unlocked the door and entered the room with another nun. They locked the door behind them, grabbed each girl and held them down, pulled their dresses up and whipped them with a big bamboo cane. The cane stung, leaving Nan with a burning sensation. They had lashes from the top of their backsides that went down to their legs. The Nuns left the room and returned with a pair of scissors, they sat the girls down on the chairs and cut off their hair. Nan could hardly walk, she couldn't sit, and her legs were very swollen and red that she could feel the heat coming off them for days.
This was only one of the many times Nan tried to run away from Tardun Mission.
Celina Lloyd
Celina Lloyd is an emerging contemporary Aboriginal artist whose practice explores memory, resilience, healing and intergenerational storytelling. Drawing inspiration from the lived experiences and stories shared by her grandmother, Faye Parriman, Celina’s work reflects on the enduring impacts of the Stolen Generations while honouring the strength, survival and cultural continuity carried through family and Country.
Celina is known for her solo exhibition Nan’s Everlasting Memories at Aboriginal Bush Traders, where she presented delicate etchings on handmade paper alongside acrylic works on paper and canvas. The exhibition visually interpreted stories shared by her grandmother about growing up as a member of the Stolen Generations after being removed from family and taken to Tardun Mission in Western Australia. Through symbolic imagery, layered textures and references to memory and Country, Celina’s works explored themes of identity, loss, resilience and healing.
Her handmade paper dress works became a significant visual element within the exhibition, symbolising the rare occasions mission girls were allowed to wear dresses and shoes during official government visits. These deeply personal works reflected both the hardship of mission life and the emotional weight carried through family memory.
Coming from a strong family lineage of artists, storytellers and cultural educators, Celina’s artistic practice is shaped by both her desert wildflower and saltwater Country connections. Her grandfather, Kevin Parriman, is a respected Jabirr Jabirr/Ngumbarl and Yawuru cultural educator and carver from the West Kimberley, while her mother, Natasha Lloyd, is an award-winning contemporary Aboriginal artist. Alongside her sisters Jessica Lloyd and Leticia Lloyd, Celina continues a strong intergenerational artistic practice grounded in storytelling, cultural knowledge and lived experiences on Country.
In Beyond Everlastings, Celina contributes works that continue her family dialogue across generations. Her artworks honour stories passed down through family while also expressing her own reflections on memory, identity and cultural connection. Through contemporary Aboriginal art practice, she continues to preserve and share stories of Country, survival and intergenerational strength for future generations.
Yalibirri Warla by Faye Parriman
- Artist: Faye Parriman
- Title: Yalibirri Warla
- Size: 89cm x 66cm
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Region: Mullewa, WA
Story for Yalibirri Warla (Emu Eggs)
When I was around 12yrs old I went with my sister (cousin) searching for emu eggs in the bush.
So off we went on the bikes she was taking the lead.
We stopped far away in the bush and walked slowly through the bush looking around, then we spotted a big emu nest full of emu eggs.
My sister told me to crawl to the nest and grab 2 emu eggs, while she kept a look out for me.
I crawled to the nest checking as I went for the Emu. Once I got near the nest, I put my hand through the sticks and grabbed 2 of them.
I crawled back and we both jumped on our bikes and rode very fast back home.
Unknown to us aunty had all the men on motors bikes out searching for us because it was around evening time when we got home.
We were told to go and blow the emu eggs yoke into the eggs.
This was very painful as we got aching jaws from blowing them into a bowl through a tinny hole on each side of the egg.