Exhibitions

Biography

I was born in 1969 in nipaluna/Hobart and live in lutruwita/Tasmania, my homelands.

mina nayri pakana rrala muka nawnta. A strong and proud Tasmanian Aboriginal Saltwater Sister.

My family, people of the Bass Strait Islands, Flinders and Cape Barren Island, are direct descendants to our Sealers and our Ancestor Mannalargenna, Chief Warrior of the Trulwulway people in North East of Tasmania. We are the Moon Bird people of the Bass Strait Islands.

I visualise as a Tasmanian Aboriginal artist to expose the lutruwita milaythina/Tasmanian landscape through my eyes, and the Community’s eyes, the connections we have with Country and the experiences that we continue together. The Country shares its story with us.

I am gathering with my Ancestors, by myself or with my family/community and gifted by mother earth through spirit.

Artist statement

nuratinga milaythina kani mana-mapali (Country holding our stories), 2022

niplin (Country of the lowreene people), 2022

mina Janice mina muka nawnta, pakana, truwulway, lumaranatana, lutruwita.

waranta tunapri muta luna, yula pakana-ti tayaritja

wurangkili milaythina-ti muka milaythina-ti krakani mana-mapali pakana raytji kani

tapiliti mina-nina

My name is Janice I am a saltwater sister, my people are pakana and my Ancestors are the truwulway people from Cape Portland, north east lutruwita Tasmania.
We are known as the moon bird people of the Bass Strait Islands.
Within this sky and saltwater country sit our many stories and life journeys that brings us together.

‘taypani Our Objects In Collections’

Through the eyes of a strong pakana Truwulway woman. I am sharing our stories truthfully; the impact of how our people feel and have felt forcibly torn between two cultures; what actions we want as First Nations people; Mothers, Fathers, Grandmothers, and Grandfathers of Country; wanting their children bound by an umbilical cord of Country, Culture and lore to our significant Artefacts. For these artefacts and remains to return home to lutruwita.

I sense these objects as living spirits that are yearning to re-connect to their Community, Culture and Country; all on the cycles of journeys through different concepts and all our life pedagogy as First Nations People.

D8760/F/OBJ/3     Mathinna’s doll – Derbyshire Record Office, United Kingdom
D8760/F/OBJ/14   Mathinna’s pin cushion – Derbyshire Record Office, United Kingdom

It is through strong Ancestral memories, and my journey of experiences as a stolen child, that I express a deep connection to Mathinna, her doll, and the pin cushion. My work endeavours to speak of the yearning and sorrow our people have for the return of Mathinna’s artefacts to her mother Country.

It was not long after I lost both my Mothers that my early childhood doll was returned to me. The similarities between these stories entwine.

My Intuitive response as a pakana First Nations Tasmanian Aboriginal Woman is of a sensitive maternalistic approach. Growing from long-time deep intergenerational trauma and loss; impacting my journey and the journey of my families and Community.

Documents

Janice Ross -  Mathinna Essay wall text (PDF)

Janice Ross - Translation of wall text in palawa kani (PDF)

Janice Ross - Original Essay (PDF)

Janice Ross - Essay Transcript (PDF)

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