SKUTTA KIMBERLEY INTERVIEW

BY MEGAN BOYCE

Skutta 2023, Photo Credit - Michael Torres Jalaru Photography

SKUTTA held a fashion runway for Broome Fringe Festival and Reconciliation Week this month. Town Beach Jetty became a vision out of Vogue, showcasing Indigenous designers and artists from across the region.

The term SKUTTA is a Kimberley Kreol word that originates from Fitzroy Crossing, “comes from the idea of showing off and celebrating somebody,” said Belinda Cook, Lead Coordinator for Skutta Kimberley.

“This year we decided to shift it to an Indigenous word to signify that it is an Indigenous fashion runway.”

Nagula Jarndu Art and Resource Centre, hosted the event because it was located on Yawuru country.

The centre is an artistic and culturally safe space for women to enjoy many crafts and learning new design techniques.

The manager, Eunice Yu, says the center is a sanctuary for artists.

“It's a culturally safe space for them to relax, to learn a technique in block printing which is the technique they require them to apply."

Maybe after a couple of years we get them to do a workshop in learning how to layer up for hand screen printing.”

Nagula Jarndu artist Marie Manado wearing her hand printed fabrics. Credit Micheal Torres Jalaru Photography

The event to supply a manifesto for Kimberley designers, artists and young people to express their produce and share it with a wider audience.

“So all of our guys don't have a space that's accessible in WA for them to present in a way that's culturally safe and enables our young ones to be confident enough to step up and showcase what their families and communities are doing,” Belinda said.

“It was an idea to just bring it all together and celebrate all the rich culture and diversity and innovation Kimberly in one show.”