Marlkawo is an extremely remote community and a 12-hour drive from Darwin. It lacks basic services and shops, health care and early childhood services are a three-hour drive away. 

Accessibility is limited to the dry season as heavy rains during the wet season wash the roads out. 

 Children’s Ground delivers learning six days per week during the dry season with an intentional intensity. This is to address the limited amount of time in which Marlkawo is accessible. 100% of learning takes place on country. Each day begins with a physical activity, such as a race on the airstrip. Morning sessions focus on Western learning, such as literacy and numeracy. Afternoons are comprised of cultural learning and First Language. In every form of learning, Aboriginal and Western-trained educators work together. 

  The launch artwork has been designed in collaboration with artist Keisha Leon, Waanyi and Kalkadoon woman and founder of Leon Designs - a First Nations owned and operated creative studio. 

 Keisha worked closely with our design team to develop the creative concept for the project. Inspired by the natural landscape of her homeland, Kalkadoon, the artwork represents the connection between Country and belonging. 

 The tee is made using 100% certified organic cotton with front and back waterbased prints, a more eco technique free of plastics and fixatives. The tee retails is available exclusively on nagnata.com. 

“Nagnata’s intention is to create a multi-faceted platform merging art and activism, through community focused initiatives that are close to our heart. We are strongly aligned with The Children’s Ground values in believing that power, knowledge and opportunity should be shared by all people. 

The brand is committed to listening and learning from our First Nations People, and to make meaningful contributions and positive action towards reconciliation through our business”, says Founder & Director, Nagnata, Laura-May Gibbs.

Nagnata is committed to expanding our social contributions and education within the business to uphold systemic change. Providing opportunities and increasing community awareness to challenge the system that does not support our First Nations People.  The Nagnata journey began working with artisan communities on fair trade handcrafted collections throughout India in 2015. 

Our energy is now focused on home soil as we work alongside our First Nation’s people and take meaningful action through projects that give back to the community.  By celebrating the traditional crafts and learning from the deep wisdom of Aboriginal culture we move towards a collective healing. 

 "When we talk about Country, we are using an Aboriginal English term that refers to specific places, specific Aboriginal peoples’ homelands. There are many, many Countries within Australia, many peoples, many languages, many Aboriginal nations. To talk of Country means just not the land, but also the waters, the people, the winds, animals, plants, stories, songs and feelings, everything that becomes together to make up one place. Country is alive for us, it cares for us, communicates with us, and we are part of it. "

The film and campaign images were created at the Upper Colo River, traditional country of the Darug peoples.

Nagnata acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of this land, the Darug people. We pay our respects to Elders past and present who walked this ancient land before us caring for Country. We recognise their continuing connections to land, waters and community.  

 Watch the Everthing Comes From Country project film preview below.