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Pregnancy belly casting talk, demonstration and exhibition

 

A group of women from the Moree Mubali: Sea of Bellies program are visiting The Australian National University. To mark the occasion, two consecutive events will take place during ACT Mental Health Week:

 

“Belly Yarn” Talk

A talk by Moree Community Elder Aunty Paula Duncan on her reflections on the Mubali: Sea of Bellies Aboriginal Maternal Health and Wellbeing project. Followed by a Q and A session with the Moree women.  Welcome to Country and smoking Ceremony by Matilda House

11:00am to 12:00pm, Friday 13 October 2017                              Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre, ANU (Building 12, Melville Hall, Ellery Cres)

“Belly Yarn” Exhibition Launch

This exhibition brings into dialogue two distinct projects relating to pregnancy belly casting (ie. the practice of making plaster moulds of the pregnant torso). On one side women from Moree, NSW who have participated in Beyond Empathy’s Mubali: Sea of Bellies belly casting program proudly display painted pregnant torsos.  On the other, ANU PhD Candidate in Gender Sexuality and Culture, Bianca Williams, provides an overview of her research into the practice of pregnancy belly casting through a display of artefacts.

12:00pm- 12.30pm, Friday 13 October 2017                               Prompt Gallery (in the ANU pop-up village)

RSVP for both events to Bianca Williams u3612090@uds.anu.edu.au

Background: Since 2004 the Mubali program has utilised art as a soft entry point for engaging pregnant women with maternal health services. Additionally, the program aims to foster bonds between the women and re-connect them to culture and community. A key strategy of the program is creating belly casts for the pregnant women which are then painted by elders who share their stories. This offers midwifes a chance to impart important health information in an informal setting.  This event would be of interest to a broad range of people including those interested in anthropology, sociology, population health, gender studies, art and design as well as public policy.
 
Sponsors: ANU Gender Institute, ANU School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, ANU School of Sociology,  Mental Health Community Coalition of the ACT, ANU School of Art and Design, Beyond Empathy, Community Services#1

Date & time

Fri 13 Oct 2017, 11am–12.30pm

Location

Tjabal Indigenous Higher Education Centre, Building 12, ANU & Prompt Gallery (ANU pop-up village)

Speakers

Matilda House; Bianca Williams

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Updated:  23 October 2017/Responsible Officer:  Convenor, Gender Institute/Page Contact:  Gender Institute