STEVIE O’CHIN
Communicate

2021
acrylic on canvas
40.5 x 50.5cm

Topic: Communicate

My first thought on this topic was my tribes’ languages, which were forbidden to be spoken when placed onto reservations.

It’s such a shame and tragedy that this part of my tribe and other tribes’ rich histories were frowned upon, resulting in our ancestors being forced to conform to only speak Australian English.

I feel greatly saddened to not be able to speak my languages fluently as does thousands of others.

I can only hope and look to the future that one day, my people will be able to speak their languages again.