Time is experienced differently and understood in myriad ways by different cultural knowledge systems.
My name is Kaylie Salvatori. I am a Yuin Budawang woman and Director of COLA Studio, living and working in Gundungurra – Dharug Country. Though my thoughts and experiences are likely shared by many Indigenous people, unless otherwise stated, the thoughts presented here are my own perspectives as an Indigenous woman living in contemporary Australia and are not intended to speak for Indigenous people as a whole. I am thankful to my Ancestors, Elders and mentors for guiding me through my journey and hope to do my part in giving back to community and Country.
I think we may be a part of a long, long lesson: civilization. The exercise of human dominion over nature – and each other – has time and time again exceeded Country’s capacity to sustain itself.1 Now, at the precipice of catastrophic change, we feel the consequences of global attempts to deny our obligation, as part of nature, to ensure the continuity of life.
Before existence became “work,” before we
