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Emu feather skirt

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Detail

Marlene Young Scerri
Gunnai. Born 1950

Emu feather skirt
2001
Emu feathers, string, beeswax, ochre
135 x 32 x 7.5 cm
Koorie Heritage Trust AH3369

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Wrap Culture Around You - Cloaks, Clothing and Jewellery

This belt is a copy of the traditional emu feathered skirt that women wore for ceremonial events. I made this belt as close to being authentic as possible. There are 285 bunches of emu feathers stuck together with beeswax and wrapped in twine to form a loop from which they hang. I hand-painted the tops with red ochre from the area in New South Wales where I live. It took three months to complete, in four different stages. Making this belt was very time consuming but very interesting as well. To my knowledge this belt is only the second contemporary one in Victoria and maybe the whole of Australia.

MARLENE YOUNG SCERRI Gunnai

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Culture Victoria

Emu feather skirt

Story credits

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