About the Artist
Stacie is a proud Wurundjeri, Dja Dja Wurrung and Ngurai Illum-Wurrung woman, a Djirri Djirri Dancer and Educator, and the former Chairperson of the Victorian NAIDOC Committee (5 years 2018-2022). Stacie currently holds the position of Curator & Collections at the Victorian Indigenous Research Centre, State Library Victoria.

Stacie recently completed her Masters in Social Change Leadership at Melbourne University as a part of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity. Upon completion, Fellows become Senior Global Atlantic Fellows and attend their first convening with other change-makers from across the seven hubs around the world.

Stacie has a drive in storytelling and producing spaces of truth telling, a desire to support and witness the progress of First Nations, and a drive in protecting and healing Country through her work. Stacie's art practise has mostly been in private however more recently the development of her practice as become an important part of her work in Social Change Leadership.

As part of her Masters she developed a social change project which delved into the importance of cultural ceremony as healing and pedagogy, and centres this work around the revival and evolution of the possum drum making and playing of Wurundjeri women.

This important practise begins with ceremony but looks to collaborate with First Nations from around the globe, bringing the healing of drum playing back into the Wurundjeri landscape and into the spaces of learning, sharing, celebration, bereavement, birthing and beyond. The teaching of this to women of Narrm and Victoria is also of importance, the sounds of the drum return to this place through the hands of the descendants into all women who wish to awaken this practise.

About the Artwork
I recently completed my Masters in Social Change Leadership at Melbourne University as a part of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity.

As part of my Masters I developed a social change project which delved into the importance of cultural ceremony as healing and pedagogy and centres this work around the revival and evolution of the possum drum making and playing of Wurundjeri women.

The aim of this work is to place the making and playing of possum skin drums back into the hands of our women of the Wurundjeri community and represents a valuable effort to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural traditions of the community through an installation of ceremony and celebration of Wurundjeri Women as makers and players of these powerful instruments.

Traditionally we would stretch the possum skin across our knees, this process I feel needs to remain as a sacred practise for women in ceremony - the evolving of this instrument is to bring it into the world where we can drum and sing and practise it in the open spaces, sharing with the public the healing sounds of generations.

I made this drum under the guidance of a Shaman over two days in ceremony on top of the Wurundjeri mountains of Corhanwarrabul. The ceremony involved meeting the Kangaroo spirit, honouring my Ancestors, honouring my birthing story, measuring, cutting, water ceremony and crafting across 20 hours. It was a birthing of this drum and a rebirthing of my 'self'.