Aboriginal Kinship Peg Doll Set by Simone Hills

The design on my peg doll family represents traditional ochre body paint and traditional tools, created to invite koolangka ‘kids’ to share about family, learn about Aboriginal families and extended families. 

I was raised in a big family, My beautiful Nan and Pop had 10 children, I grew up with many Aunties, Uncles and Cousins and extended family around. My Great Nan was a child of the Stolen Generation, our family lineage affected by the trauma of Australian government policies of forced child removal during colonisation.

When my Mum, Dad, brother and I moved from Albany to Rocky Gully (- small town in WAs south west, the town where my Nan and Pop raised my Dad, Aunties and Uncles) My brother and I would often come to Albany to stay with our Aunties, Uncles and Older Cousins. My Aunties, Uncles and Cousins would share the responsibilities of looking after us both, caring for us, teaching us and loving us as they do there own children.

I invite you to take the opportunity to have a yarn about what family means and looks like to you… with every family being individually unique share about your family, culture, traditions and learn about the shared responsibilities within Aboriginal Families; Nans, Pops, Aunties, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Cousins, Extended Kinship Family.

Simone Hills - Karda Artwork is an Artist Member of the Indigenous Art Code This means as an artist Simone is adding her voice to the call for fair and ethical trade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, and transparency in the promotion and sale of artwork.