A project that built traditional First Nations rainforest shelters on the UQ Art Museum lawn has taught students new uses for familiar plants and reinforced that "Country is everywhere".
Students from the School of Architecture, Design and Planning’s Enduring Design Masterclass (DSGN4000) collected the materials in Cairns during O-Week with Uncle Bumi Hyde, Senior Lecturer in Architecture Dr Kelly Greenop and Adjunct Associate Professor in Architecture Dr Shaneen Fantin. They then constructed two “bulmbas” back on campus in August, under Uncle Bumi’s guidance.
Janssen-Skripic, Anja Anders, Fan Wang, Anna Kim, Rebecca Woodward,
Lauren Stegman, Gregory Holmes, Ricardo Labra and Duy Tung Dao;
Uncle Bumi Hyde (far right), and technical officer Sonya Brown (back, right)
from the CoLab, which assisted with the project.
A bulmba is a traditional rainforest shelter of the Gimuy/Cairns region, built by the local Yidinji people. The Bulmba Build project teaches students about one example of the diverse building traditions of First Nations people, and importantly, their connection to Country, story, place and people. It offers important lessons about materials, design, skill and community, and how these are central to traditional First Nations design and architecture.
“We collected the materials with Uncle Bumi on his Country, and in doing so, took the students on an immersive experience of learning and sharing,” says Dr Greenop, who runs the Enduring Design Masterclass.
“We walked a traditional track that Uncle Bumi's family have used for generations, and he has used all his life. We spotted lawyer cane, the material to make the arches for the frame, and learned how to avoid the prickles and get the smooth, strong cane from high up in the rainforest.”
The group heard and shared stories, ate bush food and enjoyed the slow pace of being on Country with a purpose to listen and learn.
In contrast, the collection of the paperbark for the bulmba cladding and the soap tree string for the binding of the frame arches was carried out in suburban areas around Cairns.
“This reinforces that Country is everywhere and that the materials of First Nations architecture are sometimes right in front of us. Learning about new uses for familiar plants was great for the students,” says Dr Greenop.
Student Anja Anders describes walking on Country with Uncle Bumi as a truly unique experience, saying no amount of literature or explanation could give it justice.
“He was generous with his time and patience, imparting knowledge rich and deep. I sincerely began to understand the value of Country and how it provides and sustains us with all that we need,” she says.
lawyer cane and bound with hand-made soap-tree string. Photo courtesy of Dr Shaneen Fantin.
The students, guided by Uncle Bumi with the support of Dr Greenop and Dr Fantin, completed two large bulmbas at UQ, which were framed in lawyer cane, bound with hand-made soap-tree string and clad in paper bark. Appropriate Country protocols were discussed with local elder Uncle Des Sandy and Professor Paul Memmott around a camp fire, and Uncle Bumi encouraged teaching staff to supporting him with dancing as he sang songs and played the didgeridoo in appreciation of being hosted at UQ.
about Country protocols on construction day. Photo courtesy of Dr Shaneen Fantin.
A small afternoon tea was held for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff of UQ, as part of sharing the bulmbas and the work of the school in teaching First Nations architecture and Country. This is the fourth iteration of the School of ADP’s Bulmba Build project, with last year’s being taken interstate to the University of Sydney. In previous years, the bulmbas were moved to an indoor exhibition space after construction so the community could continue to learn from them for additional weeks before they were disassembled. However, this year rain meant the bulmbas became very wet and were unable to be relocated. The School has kept one small ‘baby bulmba,’ which was built in 2023.
The School of ADP has a long history of teaching about and with First Nations people’s architecture and Country – something Dr Greenop says is an important part of the School's character.
“We do this not only because First Nations architecture and culture is inherently valuable and fascinating as an academic topic, but also because of the special place First Nations people and cultures have in our nation, which we need to learn about and recognise,” she says.
“We are also really confident that learning about non-Western cultures and architectures is validating for many of our international students, and helps all our students learn about cross-cultural appreciation, communication and design – skills all architects, planners and designers need in their careers.”
The Enduring Design masterclass is supported by the Kings Trust Australia.
