Putting Traditional Place names on mailing addresses makes big impact on Indigenous communities

Richard Brown has spent years sharing his family history through his paintings. This NAIDOC Week, he talks about connecting with the land and sharing country with the rest of Australia by including traditional place names in mailing addresses.

Richard Brown grew up with little connection to his Indigenous roots apart from his mother and his traditional name, Kartammeru, which means firstborn son. Then in his teenage years, he ran into a few cousins at a party. That unexpected meeting introduced him to a vast Kaurna and Narungga family circle in South Australia.

“I began making regular trips from Victoria to South Australia to see my elders, and each time I’d return with a migraine from the information overload,” says Richard. “I was born and raised in Victoria but I feel at home in South Australia. My mob, my people and my ancestors are there. That's what it means to have connection with the land and country.”

Richard lost his mother in 2001. To cope with the grief and depression, he sought refuge an old hobby – painting. Initially he planned on painting fridge magnets and jewellery to sell at local markets. But when that didn’t ignite a spark within him, he decided he would paint just for himself.

Through his paintbrushes, Richard turns into a storyteller who weaves his family history and narratives into works of art. It’s his way of staying connected to them, and especially to his mother. It’s important.

Sharing country with the rest of Australia

Another thing that is important– not just to Richard but to Indigenous comm