When asked what inspires her work, Diyan Coe stated, “Me! I am the inspiration. My people and history inspire me.” Diyan is a Wiradjuri artist most well-known for her NSW Aboriginal Land Council logo she created when she was 13 years old.
Diyan is currently painting totem poles at Revesby Montessori Academy as a part of the outdoor area; commemorating the Indigenous connection to the land.
“It’s a privilege to be able to share Indigenous culture with the children and all future children at Montessori childcare in Revesby”, she explains.
These totem poles will be the first of her career, and we are just as privileged to be a part of her journey.
“Everything on these totem poles are symbolic”, Diyan explains, “from the colours to the animals”.
She expressed that the red, yellow, and brown poles symbolise the people and land that we share, while the purple, teal, and blue poles signify the waterways and flora that run through Revesby, specifically the Indigenous significance of Salt Pan Creek.
In particular, the purple colour represents the women (and carers) who sit watching and protecting the children, while the yellow represents the light and education that we impart onto the next generation.
The hands outlined on the totem poles represent the generations before us and the hope that future generations can close the gap between our peoples.
The emu and kangaroo footprints are representational of Australian wildlife that are unable to walk backwards.
“Like these animals, we must also keep moving forward”, she urged.
Montessori Academy shares an ongoing commitment to Indigenous Education. Our philosophy strives to uphold the rights of the child; helping to achieve a sustainable, peaceful, and progressive future for our society.
Australian Aboriginal culture is integrated into the Montessori & Early Years Learning Framework to facilitate respectful and informed learning experiences for children. In a Montessori early learning setting, this may include Acknowledgement of Country, and Indigenous-inspired Montessori Language and Mathematics activities.
We thank Diyan Coe for bringing Australian Indigenous culture to our Revesby childcare and for the beautiful and inspiring addition to our community.
For more information about Diyan Coe, feel free to visit her Instagram.