Artist: Keelan Fejo

In my design I have featured traditional and modern medicine plants that have been used for over many years and are still used to date.

The background red ochre colour represents the earth/red dirt around the Northern Territory and in our culture this colour is used in ceremonial business and paintings and is known as such a rich colour in our culture.

The connected circles with smaller white dots around them represent connection to land, communities and family. Connection is strong in Aboriginal culture and heals the soul and well-being of oneself and others around us.

I have incorporated circle of life, moiety and skin name, as the circles in a central line in the design. It’s a traditionally way of connecting you to another person and sometimes, non-indigenous people can be welcomed into our culture using this tradition.

I’ve chosen to feature plants found around the NT that are used in both traditional and modern medicine today. 
The Illawarra flame tree pods are used as vitamins, they are high in protein and have high levels of zinc and magnesium.
Bush medicine grass, which can be used for herbal teas, healing ointment and body wash, depend on how you prepare it.
I've used Aloe Vera and Eucalyptus in this design, as they are used modernly. We have many other plants, like these two that you can use for hair and body treatments/remedies to help prevent sores, illness, aches and pains.
Lilly pads and stems are used for healthy eating. There are different ways to use this plant, you can crush it into a powder to make damper, it contains a lot of water and when eaten provides good hydration. There are also fruits with seeds at the base of this plant.

Finally, this design features my traditional rarrkbun (crosshatching), this represents me, but also linking the design specifically to the NT, as I paint with my Larrakia/Mayalli ways. My way of painting is passed down from my father and has been passed down from generations before him.