Traditional crafts are helping Indigenous women in central Queensland build community, learn ancestral skills, and reconnect with their heritage. The initiative centers on community workshops led by local artisans in the town of Woorabinda.
Wadja Wadja woman Vivianne-Lee Watson first learned to weave during a community shelter program over six years ago. After initially believing she lacked artistic experience, she quickly mastered the craft, making a basket within 24 hours. Earlier this year, Ms. Watson left her full-time job to pursue the craft full time and now hosts free workshops in Woorabinda, located 170 kilometres south-west of Rockhampton.
The sessions offer a safe space for local women to gather, yarn, and practice various arts, including weaving, beading, jewellery making, and painting. Participants note that the environment fosters mental well-being and helps newcomers forge friendships, while also allowing older generations and youth to share knowledge. For Ms. Watson, the practice bridges her Wadja Wadja, Mayi-Yapi, and Torres Strait Islander family heritage, allowing her to pass these traditions down to her own daughters.
