Photography / “We Are One – Celebrating the First XI” by Claire Letitia Reynolds and Sasha Parlett, HuwDavies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre until  February 11. Reviewed by CON BOEKEL.

“WE Are One” is overwhelmingly about indigenous artists celebrating an extraordinary achievement.

The bare facts are that in 1868 an indigenous XI became the first team to travel to England from what was to become Australia.

The tour was a triumph over prejudice and adversity. The team played numerous games, coming out even in terms of wins, losses and draws. The games drew some huge crowds. The team’s workload put today’s touring players to shame. Two players died of disease while on tour. The team’s family and country connections are known and honoured.

The Mullagh Cup, played annually, is named in honour of the tour player who most excelled in batting, bowling and wicket keeping. He would most likely be Australia’s all-rounder were he playing today.

The exhibition features Reynold’s excellent portraits of descendants of tour players, of current indigenous cricket players, and of Mullagh Cup team members. The running captions work well as a complementary story-telling element. Reynolds made and used native plant dyes to colour her paper. The dyes connect people to country. The sepia tones give a historical feel to some of the portraits.

Parlett’s videos feature some of the people in the portraits giving their take on the tour and what it means to them today. The videos are technically competent. Their powerful documentary impact comes from the conviction of the speakers. In several sequences one screen has a speaker talking while, on an adjacent screen, another person is deep in contemplation: a moving juxtaposition. The stories hint at complex connections. Less is more.

There is a Mullagh Cup bat inscribed with the names of Mullagh team players. In a simple installation, the bat rests on a didgeridoo. Given the vexed history of indigenous objects, it is a moving fusion of shared cultures, of inspiration and of aspiration.

In the words of Claire Letitia Reynolds: “‘We Are One’ aims to square up the ledger for Australian identity, and these pioneering men provide an impetus for progress. So it is with pride that ‘We Are One’ celebrates this story of courage, resilience and character.”

This exhibition excels in achieving that aim.