Jennifer Kent – Quandamooka | Jinibara | Darumbal
Jennifer Kent is a multicultural Australian with First Nations ancestry from the Quandamooka, Jinibara and Darumbal communities. Jennifer grew up in Mt Isa and went to boarding school at Shalom Christian College in Townsville. She has kinship with the Waluwarra and Kalkadoon tribes of Northwest Queensland and Jennifer's maternal lineage shares Irish, Anglo Saxon and Chinese ancestry as well.
Jenny comes from a talented family line of artists and song people and is an activist in the ministry of Reconciliation. She hopes her art produces positivity and joy to onlookers and inspires people to feel peaceful and connected to caring for our communities' and beautiful sea and country.
About the Artwork
Pearl People – Kgwambi-Barra
‘Kgwambi’ was inspired by a pearl Jenny received one day from a crow when she was working on multiple youth projects. The crow dropped the pearl at Jenny’s feet which was quite a surprise. The pearl reminded Jenny of a prayer and her connection to her Quandamooka and Jinibara family heritage. Kgwambi or Quampie or Goompie translates to Pearl shell in the local Minjerribah traditional language. Culturally there was no written language, how you say a word matters more than how it's spelt today.
Jenny’s family has been living in Southeast Queensland for millennia and within that time, a special connection to the oyster was formed. The Creator gifted our ancestors the oyster that provided food and useful tools and even beauty adornments. The old people knew when to eat and not to eat them. They knew how to harvest them and would even trade them throughout vast trading networks.
Oysters live naturally throughout Australia with both freshwater and saltwater species. Many tribes throughout Australia and the world have been harvesting them since very long ago. Kgwambi-Barra tells a story about the tradition of seasonal family gathering, sharing and harvesting.
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