01 Process of Life

Process of Life is a photo series revolving around Agonis Flexuosa, a native plant that is found in Southern Western Australia with historical, spiritual, and medicinal significance for the Noongar people. The twigs and gum of the tree are used both ceremonially and medicinally. The Agonis Flexuosa was used in this series of pictures to represent how it interacts with the different elements. First, water, then steam, fire, and ash.  This represents the many ways the environment interacts with the tree and how the Noongar people used it in ceremony or medicine. Water is the starting point of all life, steam reflects the hot steamy climate of Australia. Then we have fire – the natural cycle that all Australian plants go through for rejuvenation. Finally, we have dust – the end of the cycle and the beginning of another. We all will turn to dust, however from dust there is life and thus, the cycle of water, steam, fire, and dust returns once again.

This photo series was uploaded on a website for anyone to explore and interact with. The pictures are strung together to make an intricate story of life that was so important to many people and is yet ignored by history. Through turning this story into images, the aim is for a viewer to interact with each image and form a story in their mind with the understanding that this was a highly important ingredient in the lives of the Noongar people.
I believe this project was successful and a step in portraying elements of history that have been unspoken for so long.