Making Peas/ce

Arrernte woman Bev O'Callaghan has always cherished the Desert peas that flourish in her garden in Alice Springs. Recently the blood-like colours of the flowers suggested a story to her. When Bev wrote ‘The Legend of Sturt’s Desert Pea’, she was unaware that the flower held ancient dreaming stories across Australia of being a flower of remembrance before the time of colonisation.

Bev uses her story and the commemorative pea flowers to foster understanding and conciliation in schools around the conquest and settlement of our land.

Floral activist Hazel Davies was introduced to Bev in 2021 after 7 years of Making Peasce . They have now partnered together to help the little pea flower sing its song of truth and hope.

Colonial Era Conflicts in ANZAC State ceremony

Elders & RSL with Governor remember all who died on and for country.

Working together with Reconciliation Tasmania the RSL and Elders have honoured both Aboriginal and Torres Strait military deaths alongside those who died during the Colonial Era Conflicts on country.

Planning for a Colonial Era Conflicts State Memorial is progressing.

While respecting the national significance of ANZAC Day the Elders were invited to sit with Governor Kate Warner.

Making Peasce was invited to Hobart by the Elders to support the respectful memorial design using local floral emblems and traditions.

What will the rest of Australia do? Do you have a point of view? Please share through the "Contact Us" link. More images and news below.

Tasmania leads the way

Historical photo of wreaths placed at the Hobart Cenotaph for the deaths of Aboriginal Tasmanians lost during both overseas wars and at home during Colonial Era Conflicts.

Elders were coached with the floral creation by Hazel Davies. It features the Tasmanian cousin of the Desert Pea known as the Running Warrior. Esteemed Frontier Wars' historian Professor Henry Reynolds captures the remarkable event in link below >

Find out more

ANZAC Day recognition of the colonial era conflcits

Thanks to the Tasmanian Governor

After the State ANZAC service in Hobart Elders gather with the Governor Kate Warner (centre) to say thank you for the historic recognition of the Colonial Era Conflicts with a wreath laid alongside the Indigenous Soldiers' wreath during the ceremony.

Colonial Era Conflicts Wreath

Thanks to the Tasmanian Governor

Close up of the wreath

laid during the Hobart ANZAC Ceremony

25 April 2021

more at #reconciliationtasmania

We will remember them

- all who died on their country

during the Colonial Era Conflicts.

Memorial Flower

Thanks to the Tasmanian Governor

Central Australian Elder honours Tasmanian Elders' ANZAC Day wreath in Canberra

The Walking Warrior

was identified by Tasmanian Elders

as the flower for the

perpetual memorial of Frist Nations'

people who died

during the Colonial Era Conflicts.

It has seven Celtic knots in the centre representing the generations affected.

Central Australian Elder honours Tasmanian Elders' ANZAC Day wreath in Canberra

Peltherre Agnillinga Agkmoura Chris Tomlins,

an Arrernte Elder, honours the Tasmanian Elders' wreath at the National War Memorial in Canberra on ANZAC Day 2021.

It was laid immediately after the Ceremony.

When will the AWM include the Colonial Era Conflicts military deaths during the service?

Tasmanian Elders' Overseas Wars' Wreath

Central Australian Elder honours Tasmanian Elders' ANZAC Day wreath in Canberra

Tasmanian Elders' Overseas Wars' Wreath

During the Hobart ANZAC State ceremony

Elders laid this wreath for all the Indigenous service personal who died defending Australia and their Tasmania.

Lest we forget those who died

for their country

and on their country.

Aboriginal Elders Making Peasce Frontier Wars Reconciliation Sturt Desert Pea

Making Peas/ce Acknowledges First Peoples

We acknowledge the First Peoples as custodians of the lands and islands now known as Australia where we live as guests.

We pay our respects to the elders past, present and emerging who own the rich heritage and culture from whom we have so much to learn as we share in a journey of healing and restitution following the tradgedies of the Frontier Wars and intergenerational effects.

Sturt Desert Pea Frontier Wars Aboriginal First People

PEAS/CE GROWS FROM THE GROUND UP

Welcome to the Making Peas/ce volunteer not-for-profit movement that started with the recognition of the Desert Pea blood flower being a symbol of memorial for the First Peoples who died through invasion and the effects of colonisation of what is now called Australia.

There are strong similarities 10,000 years later to the Flanders Poppy and European Wars where blood has been spilt and a flower grows to symbolise new life, healing and hope while remembering the fallen.

Their blood cries out from the ground.

More recently known by the explorer and invader's name, "Sturts Desert Pea" this flower has song lines going back tens of thousands of years that belong to the First Peoples of where it grows across the arid interior of the continent.

Our mission

Making Peasce Movement for the recognition and commemoration of the Colonial Era Conflicts, wars and

To create an interactive contemplative space where stories of grief and hope can be shared and good mourning can be had.
To facilitate the rise of the Desert Pea talisman in respectful partnership with custodians through story, poetry, song and crafts.
To carry the Desert Pea into public space so it may stand equally alongside its ‘white’ cousin the Flanders Poppy, telling the whole story as carried in the hands of the flower bearer, wherever it may be laid across the land.
For the full and rightful memorial of aboriginal massacre as part of our shared history.
To live together by our national cradle/ creedal oath “Lest We Forget”
To embrace the truth in order to heal from the ground up, from country up.
To provide an international example of truth lived, through brokenness and healing together on a road named forgiveness.

“The fragrance always remains on the hand that gives the flower” …Mahatma Ghandi.

Making Peasce Frontier Wars Reconciliation Day Aboriginal First Peoples

about making peas/ce

Hazel Davies

Floral activist Hazel Davies is of British heritage and was born on Dhurrawall land near the site of the first Aboriginal massacres of the colonising period.

With 40 years’ experience as a professional floral designer, poet, writer and teacher, Hazel has co-ordinated the professional floristry teaching program at Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) for 15 years.

Hazel specializes in wreath making and commemorative liturgies, using flowers as symbols in private rituals and public ceremonies. In 2008 she went on to study the symbolism and sacramentality of flowers like the Flanders Poppy in Australian society through a Bachelor of Theology at Charles Sturt University.

In 2014 in partnership with traditional owners, Hazel founded the Making Peasce Movement, to raise the history and profile of the Sturt's Desert Pea as a commemorative flower for the Frontier Wars and massacres.

In 2015 Hazel wrote the iconic poem entitled 'The Poppies and the Peas’ which has been listed in the world catalogue of resistance poetry.

Hazel currently lectures in flora recognition at TAFE, while growing the Making Peasce Movement alongside traditional owners.

Activism Aboriginal First People Sturt Desert Pea Making Peasce Frontier Wars Reconciliation

Making Peas/ce after the COLONIAL ERA CONFLICTS

The Legend of the Desert Pea

Book, Packaging and posting $35

eARLY dRAFT OF The Legend of the sturt Desert Pea - coloni

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