Weaving Stories of Boodja

ABOUT US

Weaving Stories of Boodja is headed by artists Cara Ratajczak & Michelle Bretherton who host creative community projects that celebrate connection to nature and country, inspiring custodianship for generations to come.

"Our purpose is to strengthen our community's relationship and connection to Boodja in a creative and fun way. In finding a sense of place within the natural landscape, and nurturing curiosity, we aim to inspire the will to protect and preserve it for future generations."

We pride ourselves on the relationship we have built with Wardandi Traditional Owners. We are honoured to be trusted to share their stories in creative and contemporary ways.

We acknowledge that it is their knowledge and culture, so we endeavour to leave these initial teachings to them. Only with permission do we pass on knowledge.

We draw upon their teachings to inspire the creative work we do with the community.

To view OUR COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION please click on the link

2025 PROJECTS

The Wooditjup Bilya Story 2025

Weaving Stories of Boodja is collaborating with Margaret River Primary School to bring to life the Wardandi dreaming story of The Wooditjup Bilya – the Margaret River. Under the cultural guidance of Wardandi Matriarch Vivian Brockman Webb and Wardandi Custodian Mitchella Hutchins the koolunga of Margaret River are working hard on the performance, helping create costume, puppets, set and props. The story entrusted to us will be shared through a captivating blend of traditional and contemporary dance, movement, puppetry, music and storytelling.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC and inspired by the 2025 theme “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, Legacy”, this vibrant performance unites students, artists, and community members in honouring the strength of Wardandi culture and language.

Tickets are ON SALE NOW from Arts Margaret River.

Michelle & Cara working on the grouper puppet with guru Sandy Mckendrick 2025

PAST EVENTS 2024

Adopt a Spot with Nature Conservation

During 2024 Weaving Stories of Boodja has been working with two schools in the South West Region in conjunction with Nature Conservation Margaret River, in their Adopt a Spot educational program. This program aims for schools to develop connection, respect and understanding of place, which is their adopted local spot. We have worked with the Year 4s at Cowaramup Primary School: who were learning about Cowaramup Bay, and the Year 4s at Rapids Landing Primary School: who were learning about Darch Brook in Margaret River.

When we met up with the koolunga (children) from Cowaramup Primary School and Nature Conservation for the cultural session at Cowaramup Bay, we were greeted by Wayne Webb and the Undalup rangers and we were absolutely mesmerised by the stories of the whales and the knowledge that they shared. The rangers pointed out the seed pods of the Acacia Cyclops growing close to the main beach and explained how when these pods dry and open they look just like a whale’s eye (mamang meela). Wayne continued to speak about how the whales today are traveling along the old songlines of the Wardandi people. Visiting campsites which used to exist when the land stretched further out to sea and tasting water from the underwater creeks and rivers that flow from the land (like the little creek that runs out from the bay). He continued to explain that when the seed pods of the ‘Mamang Meela’ dry and open, this is the time to look to the ocean and see the whales migrating past Cowaramup Bay.

After this session we knew that our artwork needed to focus on the whales. Using real images of Humpback whales as inspiration, we invited the children to draw their own individual whale. These whales were cut into stencils and used to create their cyanotype sun print. The cyanotype technique uses the UV light of the sun to create a print onto a specialised light sensitive paper. For this artwork, the children used seaweed collected from Cowaramup Bay to help add to the textures and scene for the migration of whales.

‘Mamang Migration’
Cowaramup Bay – Cowaramup Primary School
Cyanotype Prints with whale stencils and seaweeds from Cowaramup Bay.

Under the guidance of Tracey Muir from Nature Conservation, we have been learning about Darch Brook and it’s importance to the area. The bushland is recognised as an important ecological linkage in the landscape and supports animals such as the critically endangered Western Ringtail Possum and the priority listed Quenda (southern brown bandicoot). Many other small and large animals call this place home and form a complex food web including frogs, swap hens, beetles, dragonflies, heron, egrets, snakes, owls and many more. As a result of changes to land use within the catchment, the waterway and surrounding bushland are experiencing challenges.

Our artwork with the children celebrates the connection of all the living things at Darch Brook and the fragile web that sustains life there. We wanted to help them recognise that all these creatures no matter how small play an important part in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. We worked in a circle with each child holding a thread of the weave. One by one, each child spoke their name whilst weaving the hand dyed and recycled fabric into the artwork. We then talked about the different animals that lived in and around the brook, what the children liked to do at the brook and symbolically wove those thoughts into the artwork. The children needed to all work together, to communicate, listen, be patient and act respectfully, so that together we could grow and weave our artwork to reflect the beauty of Darch Brook.

‘Interconnection’
Darch Brook – Rapids Landing Primary School
Collective Circular Weave made with recycled, hand dyed fabric, twine and cane.

CinefestOZ Film Festival

In September 2024 our Behind the Scenes short film for The Cowara Bird Project was screened in Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and Augusta. The short film of The Cowara Bird Story Performance screened in Margaret River.

Kwobba Koornt (Good Heart)

Presented by the Nala Boodja Eco Clan Aboriginal Corporation

Sunday 26 May 2024, 12-3pm at Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART, 47 Wallcliffe Rd, Margaret River

Weaving Stories of Boodja screened the Cowara Bird Story short film at this Reconciliation Week Family Event. The full performance was captured professionally by Ovis Creative from Saturday 18 November 2023. The giant Cowara puppet also made a special appearance at the event.

PAST EVENTS 2023

Cowara Bird Project 2023

Children’s workshops, Cowara Bird Story performance and Community Event
held on Saturday 18 November 2023.

Have you ever heard the Wardandi story of the Cowara bird? The purple crowned lorikeet. The bird the town of Cowaramup was named after.

On Saturday 18th November 2023, this dreaming story was told and performed by local children to an audience of 500 people. Weaving Stories of Boodja presented a contemporary movement adaptation of the story that premiered at a free sunset community event at the Amphitheatre at Pioneer Park, Cowaramup.

“The performance stemmed from a series of Wednesday after school workshops and school holiday intensives with children in Cowaramup and surrounds from Aug-Nov 2023. The 40 brave children who participated in the project helped turn the story of the Cowara bird into a performance. They were involved with singing & story telling as well as creating costumes, props, puppets, sound and choreography to bring this story to life.

This project was a dynamic and exciting collaboration with Wardandi custodians, local artists, local businesses, the local school and the greater community.

We are extremely grateful to Dwardinan-Vivian Brockman Webb and Waljin- Mitchella Hutchins for their generosity and trust in sharing their story and for their cultural guidance with this project.”

Sincerely,
Cara Ratajczak & Michelle Bretherton
Cowara Bird Project Owners and Co-founders of Weaving Stories of Boodja

Weaving Stories of Boodja Exhibition
@ Margaret River Heart Gallery, Nala Bardip Mia

2 June 2023 – 10 August 2023

Opening Event Saturday 10 June 2023, 12-4pm in the Main Gallery

In June through to August 2023, the Margaret River Heart – Nala Bardip Mia became home to a few local native animal sculptures as it welcomed our community art project Weaving Stories of Boodja into its exhibition space. The exhibition showcased the artworks created by over 80 families of the community who participated in the year-long creative program which ran in 2022. The program included over 20 creative & colourful community workshops which explored our connection to our local environment using many different mediums including clay, collage, print-making, weaving and sculpture. Projects founders and Artists Michelle Bretherton and Cara Ratajczak, collaborated with Wardandi traditional owners (Vivian Brockman Webb & Mitchella Hutchins), other local artists and environmental experts to accumulate the expansive body of work.

Cara and Michelle state, “At the heart of the project is the true desire to foster a sense of belonging & custodianship of our natural environment, so that hopefully we can inspire the will to take care of it for future generations.”

The exhibition also included artwork by feature Artists Vivian Brockman-Webb, Mitchella Hutchins, Elaine Clocherty, Franceseco Geronazzo and Cynamon Aeria. The artworks were complimented by the photography of Kendra Benson Photography and documentation of the project.

This exciting and colourful exhibition which celebrated both community connection, country and culture was warmly received.