feature anne hayes - muumbuluna
At Chevron Australia we are committed to building our knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal culture, strengthening the relationships between our Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal workforce and creating a more inclusive work environment and community.
To support this commitment, we launched our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) late last year, in collaboration with Aboriginal people from across our business and in the communities in which we operate; namely the Thalanyji, Whadjuk Noongar, Kuruma Marthudunera and Yaburara Madudhunera peoples.
The cover of our first RAP was painted by Onslow-based Thalanyji Elder, Anne Hayes.
about the artist
Anne is a Kurrama woman from her mother’s side and Thalanyji from her father’s side.
Anne loves to paint the landscape of her country and is passionate about keeping the Thalanyji culture strong with her people as well as promoting cross-cultural understanding.
She helped compile a book, Ngambunyjarri, which outlines Thalanyji plant names and traditional uses. The book shares the Elders’ knowledge of the natural environment while also being a key resource for future generations to access their culture and heritage.
Anne is currently helping develop a language book to share the childhood stories of Thalanyji Elders while continuing to teach younger generations about their people through storytelling, art classes and taking them out to country.