A series of five totem poles inspired by the River Red Gums within local reserves to reflect Indigenous culture.

Spiritual Grounding

Artist: Marra Dreaming
Project cost: $11,880
Location: To be determined

While these totem poles are not Kaurna artwork they include information about flora, fauna and other aspects that were of importance to the Kaurna People.

Formally known as ‘Cultural Spaces’ this work titled 'Spiritual Grounding' is a work by Marra Dreaming, a group of South Australian Aboriginal artists based at Salisbury. The trio of Marra Dreaming artists who worked on the project, Samantha Egan, Thomas and Raylene Snow, are descendants of the Stolen Generation originally from the Northern Territory.

Lead artist Raylene Snow said the poles represent trees for making tools and shelter, animals for hunting and totems and symbols to convey stories and messages for the next generations. Another pole represents water, the lifeblood of our land, and Rainbow Serpent, a powerful symbol in Aboriginal culture; the creator god whose story has been passed down from generation to generation.

Each of the five poles represent a different theme that is/was important to everyday life to Indigenous people.

1. Trees (for making tools and shelter) - This pole represents Bush Lands and is our aerial view depiction of the large trees and bush lands that cover the Australian outback . Trees were and still are very important to Aboriginal people and the entire environment. They provided shelter, materials for creating hunting tools, shields and leaves with medicinal properties among many others.
2. Animals (for hunting and totems) - Animals have been a core piece in Aboriginal culture, both as a food source and as symbols in both art and dreamtime stories. Through thousands of years of co-existence, Aboriginal people maintain a deep knowledge and relationship with the animals of the land. Goannas feature prominently in Aboriginal culture as a food source for some groups and as a totem for others through their dreaming stories.
3. Symbols (to convey stories and messages for the next generations)  This pole represents the importance of transferring knowledge from one generation to the next. It shows various meeting places with people sitting around them sharing knowledge of how to live off the land.  It encompasses the importance of all communities spending time together and the passing down knowledge from the elders to the younger generation. This has been crucial for Indigenous people in maintaining traditional customs, rituals and dreaming stories.
4. Water (the lifeblood of our land). Water is the core to life for Aboriginal people, exactly like the rest of the human race. Caring for the water is a cultural responsibility and involved spiritual relationships with both the water and its inhabitants. Some aboriginal groups also have songlines and sacred places located in the water. Water needs to be protected today for future generations.
5. Rainbow Serpent (a powerful symbol in Aboriginal culture) - perhaps the most well-known and oldest Aboriginal dreamtime story continues to be a cultural influence today. There are many stories and names associated with the Rainbow Serpent which demonstrates its importance and prevalence across different Aboriginal groups. When a rainbow is seen in the sky, it is said to be the Rainbow Serpent moving from one waterhole to another.