Shipping of artwork is the responsibility of the Buyer and is not managed by KHT.

Artworks will be available to be collected or shipped from Koorie Heritage Trust from Tuesday 24 February 2026 once the exhibition has closed. See our FAQ for more info.

Tracy Wise, Barkindji Ngiyampaa Maligundidj (Wotjobaluk)
Thulka Thulka, 2025
native freshwater grass (related to South Australian Spiny Sedge, Cyperus Gymnocaulos) 
17.5 x 10.5 x 3.5 cm

I’m nearing the end of a 5-year journey to become an artist, a spiritual journey filled with travelling and walking on Country with ancestors, mob and reading what was written about my people. I have a process I’ve tested over the year to understand why I’m driven to learn about my people and their culture. This process I call the three T’s: Teacher, Theory and Text. My teachers are my Elders, my theories come from ancestors teaching me and text comes from what’s written, drawn and painted about my people and Country. This method of learning has me placing 65,000 pieces of a puzzle back together. The puzzle pieces have a vague yet clear image for me to see, I just have to put that puzzled piece into its rightful place. Place is important, and when I found that place, the puzzle piece fits, then another piece is presented to me because that image wasn’t right, the place wasn’t either. I found out that the weaving materials I was searching for wasn’t the right plant for me to be using and my spiritual instincts was correct because it didn’t feel right in my maras (hands). For five long years of searching for my native plant to weave with I was searching in all the wrong places, however that isn’t a negative thing it helped me understand how weeds have spread across country threatening our biodiversity. The day I found my native weaving grass was so profound that it gave me goosebumps and a sense of peace all at once. I not only found my weaving grass but I was shown by ancestors a massive birthing tree and playground/nursery for children. It was as if I was given access to see and hear ancestors women and their children running around playing, and collecting grasses laughing and singing. Then instantly I was schooled on how to collect the grass, what to take and what to leave. I had walked into their world for a few short minutes, and came out with so much knowledge and peace within. The learning didn’t stop there. When I came home after collecting the grass I had a sense of urgency, a rush, it’s was important to prepare the grass for Thulka. In the Barkindji language dictionary by Luise A. Hercus, (1926), Thulka means Sew. To me it’s the same as weaving so I named my basket Thulka Thulka to communicate that I weaved this piece. I reclaim Thulka and the native grass for our people. I open up the relationships in a positive way for mob (like that of our ancestors), to come back together, all mobs along the rivers to the Barka and Millwea junction. Especially our neighbouring and long distance visitors to the junction for trade and family connections. Let this small one hand gestured basket be the catalyst for reclamation of our culture, creative skills and knowledge including the seeds and biodiversity that it thrives in for our future generations.