Ngurimgalagi / We Camp

Located at the side of the East Village Hotel in Balmain East this mural is a collaboration between Indigenous artists Elbows and Chris Edwards.

It depicts the mural focuses on a dingo and a leather jacket (fish) with traditional fish traps on the ground which were used in the waterways surrounding the Balmain Peninsula. The fish traps depicted in the painting have been inspired by Chris' Fish Trap sculptures (in collaboration with Clarke) which can be seen in King George Park off Manning Street in Rozelle.

The artists say about the mural:

I’ve been doing a bunch of research of the Balmain East area, going on walks, looking at the natural coastline and having conversations with locals. I have investigated the history of fishing in the area and the indigenous Baludarri (leather jacket fish) for which the Balmain Ward is also named. In the concept design, two images share the same skyline. Right, I've created an image of a leather jacket fish being pulled out of the water on a string, with the Sydney coastline in the background. Left, is a curious dingo looking into an indigenous fish trap. I chose the dingo because the pub is dog friendly, and has many local dogs visit every day. I thought to establish a connection with the dingo’s love of fish and that they are also the original dog of the Sydney basin. I want to acknowledge a shared fishing history of the peninsula, the indigenous history, as well as honour the beauty of Sydney Harbour.” - Elbows

"For Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples, fishing is as natural and as necessary as breathing. It forms part of the deep cultural and spiritual connection many communities have with their waters and marine resources, whether saltwater or freshwater. Fishing is a cultural practice and is informed by traditional knowledge. Today, these long-held traditions have become increasingly challenged. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been marginalised from both commercial and non-commercial fisheries and are often denied access to their traditional waters. But across Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fishers are taking steps to ensure their voices and values are heard in fisheries management planning, negotiating catch allowances and controlled access to their waters and marine resources. While the importance of fishing as a way of life is obvious to many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there have been few attempts to translate their experiences into a narrative that governments, non-Indigenous fishers and the general public can immediately understand and appreciate. - Chris Edwards