Fire is feared by many people, but for a group of indigenous people in the Northern Territory, it is seen as an ordinary part of life.
A photo of the Nawarddeken people in West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, has taken out the top prize at this year’s Australian Life photography competition.
The nation-wide photography competition has been around for 20 years and receives numerous entries capturing Australian life.
This year’s winning photo ‘Hunting with Fire’, captured by photographer Matthew Abbott, shows two women night-hunting for file snakes, a harmless snake considered a delicacy by the community.
Titled Hunting with Fire, the image was taken at the Djulkar waterfall in West Arnhem Land by photographer Matthew Abbott, who won the $10,000 cash prize.
Stacey Lee is pictured in the fires’ glow, while Evelyn Narorrga, carrying a flashlight, has a snake wrapped around her right hand.
The two women were part of an annual bushwalk, where the younger generation in the community come to learn how to care for their land.
“Knowledge has been transferred from generation to generation – not in a book or in words, it’s in experiencing life and country,” Mr Abbott told Hope 103.2.
Katelyn Slyer was announced as the winner of the People’s Choice award, taking home a $5,000 Olympus photography prize pack for her image Wombarra Bowling Club of attendees gathering on the lawn during a music gig on the south coast.
“As part of that, once a year, a group of working rangers organise a bushwalk and the idea is that everybody goes on this walk together and the younger generation are learning about how to care for the country and burn.”
“During the bushwalk, on one of the nights, we were hunting for a file snakes and Stacey sort of lit up the bark trees all around this creek so she could see where to hunt for snakes (and) it sort of created this really magical, beautiful, glowing light.”
“Fire for the Nawarddeken people… is a part of everything that they do; it just seems to be very ordinary,” – Matthew Abbott, photographer
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Land and fire
The Nawarddeken people have been conducting cultural burns on their land for thousands of years, according to Mr Abbott.
“The idea is that by burning at strategic times… it will help to prevent much more destructive wildfires, which could emit far more carbon into the atmosphere, create much more damage and kill many more animals.”
He believes this image captures the connection and relationship that the Nawarddeken people have with their land and fire.
“It shows that complete sort of idea that fire is something not to be feared and it’s a useful tool.
“Fire for the Nawarddeken people… is a part of everything that they do; it just seems to be very ordinary and I liked how that theme comes through in the image.”
Mr Abbott has been taking photos of the community in West Arnhem Land for over a decade.
“I’ve been on this bushwalk 13 years earlier and I knew a lot of family members and they feel comfortable with me being there, which is a huge part of being able to take photographs of people.
“You just can’t make work like that without having a really strong connection with people… and understanding what you’re photographing is all part of it as well.”
Mr Abbott said he will probably be spending his $10,000 cash prize on a new Hasselblad camera.
“I took this photo because, on that day, I was walking past the window… and it reminded me of every weekend (where) I have lunch with my Italian family,” Waiaria Macedone-Hunt, Little Sydney Lives winner
Lacey Griffiths from Blackwall won the age 3 to 7 years category for her image Sparkly Spikes taken during a bush walk with her younger brother.
Little Sydney Lives
The Australian Life photography competition also recognises little photographers, with two categories for children.
Waiaria Macedone-Hunt from Erskineville won the age 8 to 12 years category for her image ‘Reflections in an Erko Window’ of a Barbie window display at Café Piccolo.
Lacey Griffiths from Blackwall won the age 3 to 7 years category for her image ‘Sparkly Spikes’ taken during a bush walk with her younger brother. Both winners took home a $500 photography pack.
Waiaria (better known as Aria), 10, said she took the photo because it reminded her of a family tradition – her photo shows a group of Barbie dolls eating together with fresh tomatoes and gnocchi on an “Italian-looking” tablecloth.
“I took this photo because, on that day, I was walking past the window and I saw that all the Barbies were having a picnic and it reminded me of every weekend (where) I have lunch with my Italian family,” she told Hope 103.2.
“We have pasta, and my uncles and aunties and cousins come… I like seeing my grandparents and my cousin’s because I don’t get to see them for like a week until the weekend.
“I love playing with them and seeing them eating together at the table.”
‘It was cool to see my picture blown up in Hyde Park and my friends and cousins have gone to see it and my grandparents… they also went to see it and they were really proud of me,” Waiaria Macedone-Hunt, Little Sydney Lives winner
Aria was pretty stoked when she found out she had won.
“It’s pretty cool because it was cool to see my picture blown up in Hyde Park and my friends and cousins have gone to see it and my grandparents… they also went to see it and they were really proud of me.”
Aria began taking photos when she was five, when she won another photography competition for her photo of a skipping rope at the back of her house.
Her mum, Bel Macedone, said Aria is also the family photographer.
“She’s the family photographer for her twin sisters, she’s the only one that will get them to actually stand still for a photo,” Ms Macedone told Hope 103.2.
Winners of the photography competitions were selected by a panel of judges, including artist Atong Atem, photographer Sam Ferris and curator Sebastian Goldspink.
The Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives exhibitions can be viewed at Hyde Park and will run until October 9.
Waiaria Macedone-Hunt from Erskineville won the age 8 to 12 years category for her image Reflections in an Erko Window of a Barbie window display at Café Piccolo.