Aborigines in Australia: Living Off of the Land

Awarding-winning Canadian photographer David Maurice Smith bases his operations out of New Zealand. He uses his photography to highlight cross-cultural issues and marginalized communities. His work can be found in many publications including but not limited to the New York Times, Le Monde and the Guardian.

In Wilcannia, a rural district in eastern Australia’s state of New South Wales, traditional culture and the rituals of contemporary life intermix. Many members of the Barkindji Aboriginal community depend upon hunting kangaroos and wild boar to supplement their diets.

A key community figure is Gordon Mitchell, usually known as Sunno, a hunter and mentor to young people who also works at the local school liaising between students’ families and the school board.

To encourage others to eat healthy, traditional foods, he often takes young men from the community out into the country, showing them how to track and shoot animals and live off the land. He hunts to provide meat for his family and the other members of the community, charging just enough money to cover his fuel and other costs.

Text and photographs by David Maurice Smith

 Enlarge   Sunno sits before his home in Wilcannia, one of the most remote communities of New South Wales.

 Enlarge   Children watch intently as Larissa Jones (Left) and Kade Cattermore prepare to blow out candles in celebration of their shared sixth birthday

 Enlarge   An emu (a large flightless bird native to Australia) is placed in the pit filled with hot coals to be cooked on the banks of the Darling river.

 Enlarge   Children play on the newly built community playground. The playground was constructed by the international aid agency Save The Children in 2011.

 Enlarge   An intimate moment between mother and daughter, Freda Bugmy kisses her 6 month old daughter Jacky Bugmy

Awarding-winning Canadian photographer David Maurice Smith bases his operations out of New Zealand. He uses his photography to highlight cross-cultural issues and marginalized communities. His work can be found in many publications including but not limited to the New York Times, Le Monde and the Guardian.

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