Occupation

Sarah Garba

Wominjeka Welcome

I would like to acknowledge and extend my appreciation to the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which I reside and conduct my research, the Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and pay respect to their elder’s past, present and emerging, for they hold the true memories, tradition, and spiritual connection to Country.

I also recognise that the occupation of Country has not been without the erasure of culture, people and language. The impacts of which have caused major ruptures in the environmental, spiritual, and economic systems of life, with consequences still evident today.

Intention

Lending time is a commitment. A dedication to involving one’s self in moments, each of which encourages a practice of stillness, contemplation and slowness. Through subverting the frameworks of language, we start to unmask, looking deeper and beyond the romanticised narratives of history. My hope for you, and I, (re)ading this, is that we begin to shift towards decolonising spaces, ideas and ultimately language, to confront issues head-on. Design has the potential to explore these complex notions of place to unravel the culture of how we gather, to develop an inclusive, respectful union on Country.

It is often said that we must ‘look into the past to see the future’. But how can we learn from the past if the reality has been concealed, erased, altered? Where narratives have been constructed to undermine the realities of history?

Insight

Where am I from?

Do I feel connected to place?

What is my culture? Do I feel connected to it?

Who is my community?

What element of my community is most important?

Insight

Where am I from?

Do I feel connected to place?

What is my culture? Do I feel connected to it?

Who is my community?

What element of my community is most important?

Heritage ? Race ? Nationality? How are our perceptions of identity morphed by our environments?

I was born in the U.S. with a father of African American background & a mother of mixed heritage; Italian, Yemeni and Ethiopian.

Now, Today, I am from Naarm. Melbourne East Moving around a lot, It was difficult to feel connected to a physical place. I feel that I have a stronger connection to people , stories & the emotional connections they draw.

I would say a mix of western and traditional. I feel torn between.

My community looks like a constantly evolving and retracting spheres of social groups, work, sport and teams, migrant community

The collective support and encouragement, as well as realizing the pockets of individual characters, identities and cultures that make up my community.

Occupation / [ɒkjʊˈpeɪʃ(ə)n]

In its literal sense, the term can be used to describe an associative state of possession, such as land, place, an identity or perhaps a state of being. A Cambridge dictionary definition identifies the term as being:

‘a situation in which an army or group of people moves into and takes control of a place’

Western

Indigenous

Traditionally, maps explored the movements and sculpting of the landscape throughout time. Western modes of mapping reveal the often unpleasant realities of occupation. The denial of existence of Indigenous people and culture is reflected in the enforce creations of boundaries and grids, that work to undermine and erase the integrety, connections and recognition of Indigenous people and land. It is important to look beyond the erected false narratives of maps to realise the realities that lay beneath and the conceled traumas and moral issues that still plaugue Indigenous communities today.

Boundary

Culture

practices

restrictions stolen

Place..

tribes emotionally + physically stolen land

stolen culture exchanges

reduction

What are the ripple effects of enforcing boundaries in the unbound vastness of Country?

sensitivity

reflection

adapt slow ....

slowing

humilty /

histo impact

speculation?

(contemplation)

[inclusion ]

growth growth growth

iteratio

OCCUPATION

dispossesion

Encounters

...

slownessssss

process <

ory

ons

sensitivity

land

reflection /noitcelfer

understanding

Through iterations how can we dissect language to explore ideas ?

How do we initiate the process of unlearning ?

How does reading ‘between the lines’ offer spaces to realise the pockets of opportunity to re-consider and perhaps encounter our own subconscious biases ?

Moments / [məʊm(ə)nt]

To take a moment, is to be still. In the now. Present. Slow, sensitive and reflective.

Theses are moments of learning . . . . . . .

Read.

Retrace Reverse Revert Reclaim Reality Resources Reconsider

Falling Awake: How to Practice Mindfulness in Everyday Life - By Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mind Two terms not usually synonymous with each other If we can reconsider/ realign our own mindscape perhaps we can reconsider and be mindful of the different scapes of our mind & environment we inhabit

scape

LAND

SCAPE SCAPE

LIGHT SCAPE SCAPE SCAPE

SOUND

SCAPE SCAPE SCAPE

SMELL

SCAPE SCAPE SCAPE

TOUCH

SCAPE SCAPE SCAPE MIND SCAPE

{

When we begin to embrace our own ‘scapes’, we drift into a state of awareness and awakening, initiating a willingness for letting things connect to us.

(Re)ading Mindfulness- A series of interconnected elements connected to a wider system. The relationship between the inner & outer realms of ‘being’ become apparent in engaging & awakening our sensory dimension.

Drawing from (re)ading

How can we draw parallels between mindfulness and daily life and practice?

Visualising ~ emphasising ~ contextualising language into understanding.

Distilling these terms into visual landscapes / archipelagos landscape outer

inner amplify

awareness of landscape

awake

inhabit

Connecting the different spheres of ‘scapes’ to understand the landscape, opens new potential to broaden the mind and practice mindfulness. I tried to illustrate and map connections, exaggerating their reach and potential and energy to think about land and the interconnected connections to place and land they draw.

Re-imagining Reconsidering Rethinking . . my landscape by re-engaging the senses, stopping at moments to be mindful.

Awake & aware to the landscape.

To Country.

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NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY Cult denial.KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYEVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY YBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS NOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYKNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS

EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS

Libby Porter ‘ From an urban country to urban Country: confronting the cult of denial in Australian cities

EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY KNOWS

How can my pra heighten awaren

actice break free from the convenience of just ‘knowing’ and into an ness of understanding, learning & unlearning?

Country is hidden from view, and the possibility of learnin from the much longer history.... denied denied denied denied

Text juxtaposes two forms of Country - one being the true unjust nature of settler occupation and history, the other being the hidden strategies to deny these injustices, comprising the integrity and reality of first nation history. The sustained denial is something that stood out to me, with Porters’ repetitive use of the phrase ‘everybody knows’, implying an underlining subtleness of cult-like mentality existing in our daily lives. This had me thinking ; How is it that Country, the essence and truth, has been seemingly washed from our vernacular, our vocabulary and our cities? Reciting welcome to country is more than an offering or lip-service. it does not accurately recognise and admit to the foundation story of Australian cities.

Subtle moments like reading, pass us subconsciously. How can we a awaken the consciousness to reconsider the reality of place, confront our actions and being the unwinding of feed history in order to unlearn to learn?

Why didn’t they teach our history in school?

A culture of historical amnesia.

‘his/ story’

‘They are just children ! ‘...

So were the children that were removed, victimised, and traumatised.

Prioritising white history Fighting a war of genocide, not realising the genocide at home.

Teaching is accepting Is society ready for except the truths of history?

Reading

between the lines

The process of undoing

Bung Yarnda / [Lake Tyers]

Located in East Gippsland, a remote and isolated part of Victoria, Lake Tyers settlement was started by Anglican missionary John Bulmer in 1863. It became one of six reserves for Aboriginal Victorians, with Charlie Carter presented with the first land title of Aboriginal reserves in Australia. “intiltiling the Aboriginal to the land”. The Victorian government handed back 4000 acres at Lake Tyers. The land was aquired, cleared and erased. Divided, sectioned, sold and corrupted.

‘When the sandbar opens a flood of fresh water streams into the land, bringing different food, resources & nutrients. The ecosystem is nurtured & neigbouring Indigenous clans in traditional times, would come and gather to help restore the balance of friendship, good relations through food and come to camp during the season of abundance of food.’

This is a dialogue between landrights a A map of Bu

and control, community, isolation and erasure. ung Yarnda / Lake Tyers

idents not per Res mi

tt e

ed

d to

rive

Coranderrk / Located 50 km, north-east of Melbourne, Coranderrk was established in 1863 and became one of Victoria’s largest reserves. The site was important example of depicting Indigenous communities as being able to be successful on their own accord. With 105 residents, Coranderrk became a thriving farming community able to operate independently.

However the successes proved short-lived with the protective body sabotaging and forcing the failure and enclosure of Coranderrk in 1924. What can be observed is the illegitimate treatments, oppression and sanctions on Indigenous communities, even in their successes.

What happens if we remove the power from the verb & analysis how it has been (re)purposed to advocate for equality/ change/ ownership . . . ..

Reclaiming the verb that evokes the action.

Denial Demise Degrade Demolish Deliberate Destruction [De]velop [De]voted [De]colonise [De]termined [De]criminlise

They gave Coranderrk back to the Indigenous community, thinking they would run it down, . . . . rather, the Indigenous spirit and self- [de]termination, saw Coranderrk [de]velop and flourish once again. . . . . . . . . . .

A commissioned report requested to evaluate the effectiveness of Coranderrk

Confronting

Land ownership / erasure / language.

Are these legitimate questions? Or questions avoiding the real reality? .

Cummeragunja / Cummeragunja was established in 1888, a settlement on the New South Wales side of the Murray River and on the Victorian border near Barmah. It is situated on Yorta Yorta Country. Cummeragunja translates to “Our Home”. Named this as people thought it would be a good place to live,(re)group and be free from the oppression and carnage.

By there own hand, the community at Cummeragunja thrived, however, control under new ‘managments’ proved disastorous, with much of the same patterns of abuse reappearing, working to dismantle progress. This however sparked a protest. A protest for change, known as the Cummeragunja Walk-off.

Unlawful Unwanted Unprotected Unapologetic Unaccountable

[Un]ity [Un]ion [Un]doing [Un]covering [Un]derground

the same pattern of denial

Abuse

Babies were dying of malnutrition

“These rations are slowly exterminating the aborigines”

Mobilising through intimidation

Petition by residents against the treatment at Cummeragunja.Sent to the board of protection, only to be sent back to Arthur McQuiggan, who untimated the residents to remove their name.

manipulation

disastorous

removal

control

state of neglec

ct

t h e i r own h a

By

...........

n

d

.

the community .. at Cummeragunja ~thrived The station’s Koori led management committee oversaw successful commercial enterprises in the sale of wheat, wool and d a i r y, a n d conditions were improving, finances were being directed back into the community for community benefit, ................................... ......[un-doing ] the disastrous effects of the .....stations superintendents

Re’

“again”

[riː, reɪ]

(Prefix) used with the meaning “again” or “again and again” to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “back” or “backward” to indicate withdrawal or backward motion:

o

or

“again and again”

repair restore regeneration reconsideration re ~ drawing .

(Sad)istic attempts of control . further

.

upheaving

Indigenous control of land .

.

whilst

masquerading as the protectors . . . .

Observing . . . . . . the un-relenting methods of . s/e/g/r/e/g/a/t/i/o/n repression and cultural assult by

.

Government

(re)drawing boundaries to (re)contextualise .

and (re)think -------------- [space]

(Sad)istic attempts of control . further

.

upheaving

Indigenous control of land .

.

whilst

masquerading as the protectors . . . .

Observing . . . . . . the un-relenting methods of . s/e/g/r/e/g/a/t/i/o/n repression and cultural assult by

.

Government

.

Boundaries were set on Aboriginal behaviour and movement, through direct legislation and the provision of opportunities and acceptance. ~ But Aboriginal people had agency [within] and, at times, beyond these limits adapting and learning aspects of the settler culture, to undo, reshape and harness these tools to rally for justice and equality, in an environment of unjust oppression.

(Sad)istic attempts of control . further

.

upheaving

Indigenous control of land .

.

whilst

masquerading as the protectors . . . .

Observing . .

~ (re)shapin . . . . the un-relenting methods of . s/e/g/r/e/g/a/t/i/o/n repression and cultural assult by

.

Government

.

Boundaries were set on Aboriginal behaviour and movement, through direct legislation and

ng /boundary/

the provision of opportunities and acceptance. ~ But Aboriginal people had agency [within] and, at times, beyond these limits adapting and learning aspects of the settler culture, to undo, reshape and harness these tools to rally for justice and equality, in an environment of unjust oppression.

The Na tur

al

ary nd bou

of

Country

Glossary

Occupation

To describ

Boundary

A line whi

Mindscape

A medatati

Bung Yarnda

‘Camping g

Coranderrk

Named afte

Cummeragunja

‘Our home’

be an associative state of possession, such as land, place, an identity or perhaps a state of being.

ich marks the limits of an area; A dividing line. A county boundary

ive state in which awakens the mind and imagination : An awareness of surroundings.

grounds’

er ‘Christmas bush’ – a white flowering summer plant, native to the area

’

Reflection

My journey with Occupation has been one that has encouraged a willingness to be open, to be uncomfortable, to listen deeply and to unlearn.

The notion of ‘unlearning to learn’ were ideas that I encountered that encouraged an embrace of a slow and sensitive approach to learning.

Additionally, the pedagogy and modes of drawing was something that I had not experienced in depth before and afforded a process in which helped me find my feet. The removal of constraints of what could be a drawing, helped me focus in exploring language as an overarching theme. Language has the power to conceal, to expose, hide, and emphasise. I used it throughout my works to explore themes, juxtaposing the often negatively associated terms into an inverted revival and take back by Indigenous people fighting injustices.

When thinking about my aspirations for my practice, Occupation has helped me envisage a more sensitive approach to consider the impressions buildings and materials make in the environment. This journey has helped change the way I view the built environment by recognising the underlying layers of ecosystems and environments that have been erased.

My hope is that through design, we can build a consciousness of place through thinking and exploring space, without imposing European ideals on a country still grappling with the truths of colonialism.

Occupation has encouraged me to learn to take the extra moments to feel my feet on the ground. To think beyond the constructed narratives that lay in place, and to lean in closer rather than turning a cheek.

I would like to graciously thank my tutors for their own openness and willingness to be vulnerable encouraging us to think deeper. Similarly, I extend my thanks to my classmates, for their discussions, support, and kindness.

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