Remembering the Empty Coolamons was held at Brisbane Catholic Education’s Mt Carmel Centre, on the 23rd of May 2025, the Friday before the 26th of May, National Sorry Day. Some 300 school children of all ages, Community and staff participated in creating this ritual process.
Special thanks to Chelsea Javis of Catholic Education who seamlessly facilitated this work. Further thanks to my co workers, Samantha Bladon and Sabine Pieperiet who managed the participants and the making of the coolamons.
And finally thanks to Luis Bran for his fabulous documentation and photography of this particular ritual process. Stills below by Luis Bran.
The coolamons are currently living out their second life in Brisbane Catholic Education’s head office, complimented by Luis Bran’s photos from the day. The little coolmaons third and final life, will be when they are placed at the grounds at Ngutana Lui, BCE’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Studies Centre, where around 35,000 children and adults learn about First Nation's culture each year.
A more thorough exploration of other performances of this ritual process work, can be found under the tab Remembering the Empty Coolamons.
In this context the snake respresents the universal symbol of healing.
The colours Red, Black, White and Yellow are the colours of ceremony. They also represent for four races of mankind.
Accepting a child’s offering of their decorated coolamon.
Dusting the space with ochre.
One of the little coolamons. All were decorated by the students with thoughtful and exquisite care.
Adding a coolamon to the sacred space.