40,000 years ago an Indigenous Australian tradition began that was almost buried out of existence. The making of possum skin cloaks in the south of Australia has enjoyed a revival over the last decade and is the subject of Home/On Country, a photographic exhibition by art and social photographer Sarah Rhodes. Exhibited at Albury LibraryMuseum, the photographs depict a renewed tradition that is inspiring the creation of new art and strengthening Indigenous Australian identity.
Possum skin cloaks were once an integral part of Indigenous Australian life. Newborns were wrapped in a family pelt etched with traditional designs. As they grew, this pelt grew as well with etchings of survival facts, cultural knowledge, important dreamings and tribal stories also added on. Individuals were buried in them after death, leading to a near total loss of these traditional pieces.
