Held in the breath of Yarraggaa (the spring wind), this seasonal story of longing and belonging carries memory and dhuwi / life force across land sky and sea, moving yilaalu (both back and forward) through time.

This written reflection carries a Yuwaalaraay story of Gunimaa, the mother to her relations at ki Paekākā, honouring the shared responsibilities First Nations Peoples hold to Country, kin and the living world.

Lucy Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay mother, artist, designer and maker, founding member of Countryman Collective and principal designer behind Gaawaa Miyay Aboriginal design studio, based on Wangal Country in Sydney. Her multidisciplinary practice spans textiles, fibre, jewellery, object and place-based projects, grounded in First Nations design philosophies and regional stories born of the floodplain.

Through her practice, Simpson explores relationships between dhuwi (life force), continuing practice and baayangalibiyaay (notions of wellbeing). Over seventeen years, she has worked to strengthen cultural relationships and knowledge systems, advocating for Country and future generations through projects of continuity, revitalisation and healing across community, public and commercial contexts.

Her work responds to the needs of Country and its waterways, creating opportunities for knowledge transmission through experiential exchange, research and contemporary design practice.