Young Kabi Kabi artist’s work to feature in Library Service birthday celebrations

Proud Kabi Kabi and Wakka Wakka girl Alkirah Bell’s painting Connections Through Water has been selected as the official image for Noosa Library Service’s 50th birthday celebrations. 

Thirteen-year-old Kabi Kabi artist Alkirah Bell with her painting Connections Through Water, which will feature on library membership cards, library bags and other print and digital collateral.

Council’s Acting Libraries and Galleries Manager, Tracey King, said themes of community, connection, learning and storytelling – explored in the painting - were also central to libraries.

“As we celebrate 50 years of our libraries, we’re honoured to promote local Kabi Kabi culture and pay respect to local traditional custodians of the land on which our libraries are located,” she said.

Alkirah says water – a key motif in her painting – represents connection.

“Water has connections. It’s connected to everything, from the ocean to our bodies with over 60% of water. The waterholes represent everything and everyone connected,” she said.

“I think water connects us all together, whatever water we drink has already been drunk by someone or something else. My painting represents this through the ocean. The ocean is never the same, it’s always changing, just like us. 

“The dots in the middle represent us together as a community, working together.”

Alkirah says she is lucky to have been taught her culture from a young age, passed down by her ancestors, including her great-great-great grandparents Willie Crowe and Emma Dunne, who are featured in the Noosa Council documentary Place of Crows.

As the successful artist, Alkirah received a $2500 cash prize.

Ms King thanked all of the local First Nations artists who submitted an artwork to the call for expressions of interest.

“Our library service has changed a lot in 50 years. Noosa Shire’s first library opened in December 1973, on Moorindil Street in Tewantin, later relocating to Pelican Street in 1983,” she said.

“A decade later our current Maurice Hurst-designed library building in Wallace Park at Noosaville opened, with a second library opening at Cooroy in 2010.

“These days our library service offers access to more than 100,000 physical and digital items for borrowing. We also have the Mobile Library service and vending kiosks at Pomona and Peregian which expand our physical presence out to the further reaches of the shire.

“Our library service now also provides a broad range of programs and events that support literacy and lifelong learning, as well as access to publicly accessible technologies and digital literacy support”.

Alkirah Bell’s painting is currently on display at the Cooroy Library and the new library cards and bags will be available to the community in the coming months.