Urtne (coolamon)

$575.00

Urtne (coolamon) is a wooden dish made for carrying and collecting things, including carrying babies.

I went to school here in Ltyentye Apurte. At school we were taught how to do this craft work. Once a week. I used to see my uncles doing all these sorts of things and they would take me out for a day trip to the bush. I used to really enjoy watching them make things. When I was 10, I used to want to ask my grandfather “can you make a spear for me?” because at that age I wanted to own a spear and I thought “one day I’m gonna do that”. Starting TCC feels good. Like we’re trying to get these traditional tools back. A lot of the old people are gone and a lot of the tools are gone with them. So I want to keep it alive, you know. A long time ago I used to see the old people walking around with a shield and a woomera, boomerang. They loved those things.

I would like to make TCC bigger. Not only for us but for everyone.  The community wants us to keep going. They say “that’s good! Keep the things alive otherwise they’ll get forgotten”. When the kids come up from the school it makes me feel like a powerful man. My son is one of the students that comes here weekly. He’s 15. He likes to do the kind of stuff we’re doing here. Sometimes when he’s here he might put one of his finished tools in where I put my finished tools and I’ll be surprised by what he’s done. It makes me proud as a father. More than proud. This work, I’m really enjoying it. We sit around and share a lot of jokes and laughs, but I’m not doing it just for fun. It’s in me.