Noosa Shire quilters have come together for a homegrown textiles project which aims to spread a message of hope about the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament advisory committee.
The big Voice community quilt is the brainchild of Marcus Beach woman Manny Holmes, a mental health occupational therapist with a passion for textiles.
Ms Holmes said the idea grew organically after she put out a call on social media in early August for people to contribute.
“I had no idea what to expect. There was no big plan or anything. I just put up a post asking people to make a quilt block using any textile technique and combination, whether that be piecework, machine or hand applique, fabric printing or dyeing, embroidery or collage,” Ms Holmes said.
“The only criteria was that it had to tell your Yes story and be a certain size, so that we can make up the final quilt.”
Messages started coming in immediately, with interest from as far away as Western Australia and Victoria and more than 20 blocks contributed so far.
“Every one of them is so individual and unique. It’s been incredible to see how people have interpreted the brief,” Ms Holmes said.
“My 81-year-old mum, who made lovely quilts for our kids when they were little, has contributed a beautiful block. Sunshine Coast fibre artist Karen Lynch eco-dyed her piece, using gorgeous natural pigments from local plants. And my neighbour Micky Coghill used applique patchwork to create a vivid orange Yes sun rising over a new dawn.”
Ms Holmes’ block featured an image of KoKo-bera Elder Vera Dick, who grew up in the Cape York Peninsula Kowanyama community.
Ms Holmes’ photographer husband Craig documented the Kowanyama people over many years.
Through her work in mental health, Ms Holmes said she knew the impact of trauma and disempowerment.
“It’s pretty simple. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are just asking us to listen. How simple is that? It’s really not a big thing,” Ms Holmes said.
“We can’t change what’s happened historically, but we can do something going forward.”
Ms Holmes, a founding member of the new community organisation Noosa for Yes, said she had extended the deadline for quilt contributions so as many people as possible could take part. On 14 September the massive task putting together the king bed-sized quilt would begin.
She hoped the finished work would be entered in quilting shows and displayed around Australia.
“Regardless of the outcome, the quilt will represent a point in time and will stand as a permanent reminder of who we are today.”
