During National Reconciliation Week Nuriootpa High School Year 7 and 8 students have been exploring the powerful work of contemporary First Nations artist Otis Hope Carey.

As a Gumbaynggirr Bundalung man, Carey’s works are deeply influenced by connection to Country and specifically the scared nature of water.  The National Reconciliation Week 2026 artwork by Carey is titled Gaagal, which translates to ‘ocean’.

“All of my paintings connect to water. This artwork uses the ocean as a metaphor for people from all walks of life swirling together to be ‘all in’ for reconciliation,” Carey explained to Reconciliation Australia.

Exploring Gaagal and a range of Carey’s other works, students developed their own piece in response to their exploration reflecting a sense of place through connection to water and the ocean. Through the creative process, students were encouraged to think deeply about their own connections to water in conjunction with Aboriginal perspectives and connections to waterways, and the symbolic representation of water in the journey of reconciliation in Australia.