This sound-walk created by Bronwin Patrickson is part Dugong Love Letter, part walking souvenir of a 2023 two week art-science residency engaging with the sparkling ecology of the island, Weaving Waters on Yarun. (Yarun being the traditional name for Bribie Island off the coast of Queensland, on the east coast of Australia, which is shaped just like a Dugong.)
The 2023 Weaving Waters Residency facilitated by Tracey Benson and Treecreate Studios brought together a diverse group of artists and scientists from around the world. A sunset Dugong spotting tour of the Pumicestone Passage with Ferryman Cruises was a highlight activity of the residency. Such rich encounters, together with a discovery that the island of Yarun, shaped like a Dugong has recently lost part of its tail due to changing seas inspired this follow on collaboration and soundwalk production.
Each sub-section title, listed as a tourist attraction within this app identifies which sections of the soundwalk will be triggered and playback in which parts of the promenade walk.
The Weaving Waters Residency at Yarun 2023 was facilitated by Tracey Benson and Treecreate Studios, assisted by Martin Drury, Rebecca Thompson, Tas Winkler and the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council. Remote supporters included Nina Czegledy and Christal Clashing.
The Residency was kindly sponsored by the Moreton Bay Regional Council, the Queensland Government, Regional Arts Australia, the Regional Arts Fund and the Flying Arts Alliance.
Credits
This soundwalk (and the story about the Dugong that lost it's tail) is created by sound artist Bronwin Patrickson, in collaboration with numerous other artists including (in alphabetical order):
Tracey Benson (Qld): Collaborator, connector, driving force behind both the Weaving Waters Residency and the Love Letters to Dugongs project.
Pasha Clothier (NZ): Artist, public domain whale call collector
James Cunningham, (QLD) Walking artist, sound artist, and sound recording inspiration, Hakka recording
Tracey Willms Deane, (Canada/NZ) Screen print artist, Creator of tour ID image
Martin Drury (Qld), Visual artist, photographer, and Weaving Waters residency support
Kristine Diekman, (US), Sound artist and recording inspiration
Simone Johnson (US): Artist, environmental activist and writer of Dugong Love Letters
Tamsin Karr (QLD): Poet, writer and environmental activist
Kim Robertson (Abu Dhabi): Artist and writer of Dugong Love Letters
Te Rautini Sheridan: (NZ) Artist, Dugong Caller, Hakka dancer
Sandy Sur: (Vanuatu) Dancer and Musician performing the dance traditionally performed to welcome Dugong
Rebecca Thompson (Yarun/QLD) Artist, Musician, Yoga teacher and Mentor. Rebecca weaves all of these aspects into her programme offerings, sacred paths of female leadership and fulfilment.
Rebecca is supported singing rounds of the traditional sufi tune "The Ocean Refuses No River' by collaborating resident artists Sue Finlay, Joan Kelly, and Tracey Willms Deane.
Thank you to Tracey Benson and Kristine Diekman for the inspiration to mix this with the DNA music. "Journey of the ancients", DNA Music, a collaboration between Tracey M Benson and Josiah Jordan 2017
Thank you to Michelle Watson for her unfailing support, humour and understanding.
Special thanks go to the Pumicestone Indigenous Education and Employment Council, who welcomed the new Weaving Water residents so warmly, taking time to share cultural gatherings and local knowhow, For the full video of the attached Welcome to Country video please see Treecreate's vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/888666894
Creative collaborations underway during the residency included woven artefacts that would play sounds when touched, stunning artworks with natural dyes and pigments, augmented reality creatures, underwater performances, traditional dancing, prints of Dugongs and waves, copious 3D printing, open days, symposiums, talks...and love letters to Dugongs!
Finally, thank you to Treecreate, Weaving Waters, the Bribie Island Seaside Museum, the Bribie Island Dugong Sightings Facebook Group Ferryman Cruises, and the Pumicestone Indigenous and Employment Council