22/02/2026
"My Ancestors" Collection by Alexandrina Campbell
Travelling with "Peter 'Mundoo' Campbell portrait on country.
Couple years ago, I was asked by my grandfather, my nannas brother to paint my families portraits. For me, i had put this off for couple years. Until recently I started thinking maybe I should just do it, i dont just pick up a paintbrush and paint, i only paint when i get a feeling to paint.
Well, I painted my 4th Great Grandfather Peter 'Mundoo' Campbell. In oil painting, I have been waiting for it to dry. Yesterday I went out on country, I took my painting with me, as I always take them out with me to country ever since I started painting, to get them blessed by my ancestors and to bring my paintings home, back on country.
After we left Victor Harbor and Goolwa, me and my mum had this un easy feeling. Sun shining and bright blue skies. We decided to drive straight to Mundengoon to see our poppa, my great grandfather.
Along the way, we came into Milang, a shock to us that Google Maps took us there. The weather started to drop in temperature, and clouds starting to form. Milang was the town that my 4th Great Grandfather Peter 'Mundoo' Campbell and my 4th great grandmother Ngaramindjeri (Nahraminyeri/Maggie) got married. We had my painting in the backseat boot. I took my painting out and went to the Jetty, here I saw a bird sitting on the log, I started telling mum and the girls come with me and take a photo. After, when mum got there then the bird flew away. Mum wanted to put her feet in the water, so we took our shoes off and stepped in the water. Holding my painting walking into the water mum said hey your painting, its in the water. I didnt realise that I had dipped my painting into the water, when mum looked she said great poppa wanted his feet in the water too. We both laughed surprisingly at what just happened. Puzzled as I am still thinking how did I not know that my painting was in the water. We all jumped back into the car, and drove straight to Mudengoon.
At Mudengoons arrival and songs just on random playlist, my grandfathers rock and roll country song came on, as we was driving down the dirt road, puzzled as me and mum looked at each other, she said poppa knows we coming. The sky now cloudy.
When we got to Mundengoon, I asked mum to video record me walking into Mundengoon to where my poppas and uncle are. I walked straight up to the middle grave and placed my painting there, that is my nannas brother Peter Campbell, namesake to Peter 'Mundoo' Campbell. I started to clean the graves, as the same that my mother was taught at a young age when her poppa and nannamum taught her. A sign of reflection, respect and cultral values, to never forget your loved ones, to show appreciation and to connect. As my nanna says to let our ancestors know. A time of peaceful spiritual connection to the land.
After cleaning the graves, my mother sat down and started talking about whats been happening in our Ngarrindjeri Nation. She is telling them about the wrong things this Nation been doing. I sat with my mother, and my children and neices. With tears rolling down her eyes, and still talking. I sat, I watched and I listened. All of a sudden I told my mum, its spiting rain. I felt 3 drops on my skin. I looked up and the rain did not come. I took pictures of the sky, but still no rain. I was puzzled, then I started thinking about my grandmothers stories of MeeWee and Thulang. It all made sense. Our ancestors were telling us they can listen and showed us that they where there, showing us the rain drop as a sign of connection and communication.
I told my mum its gonna rain, she stopped crying, looking at the sky. We sat, we listened and we looked at the land and sky. When she stopped crying the wind started coming, she said the wind is drying up my tears that layed on her face. She smiled and said my poppa i love you. I felt relaxed and at peace, so did my mother. My mum asked me how many drops you feel, I said 3, then she told me that more than 3 she felt. We sat for awhile but still no rain.
I got up, I walked back to the graves and grabbed some dirt and rubbed my painting to say thank you. Then it was time to go.
We said our goodbyes, jumped into the car, beeped the horn to say farewell, see you again. As i drove down the dirt road, i looked into my rear view mirror and saw the shining light coming in from the sky. I said to mum, they letting us know they our ancestors are saying goodbye. I stopped the car, and mum and I got out and took a photo. We felt blessed, and again said goodbye and jumped in the car.
We drove through Murray Bridge, looking for our ancestor at Murray Bridge cemetry. I noticed only a few drops of rain came onto my windscreen, but still no rain. With no luck the sun gone and the night came. We decided we will come back another day. We got a feed and left straight for Adelaide. Still no rain.
Looking back on our day, was a beautiful day, we felt our MeeWee and Thulangs presence. A day for me and my mum and children to never forget.
Below is my story about the "Essence of MeeWee" painting, and describing the meaning of MeeWee and what Thulang means.
"My grandmother, I learned about the MeeWee spirit, a vital force that connects the land, body, soul, mind, and waters. MeeWee is the essence of life itself a spiritual heart within all living things. As my grandmother explained, caring for MeeWee means caring for yourself and everything around you, for MeeWee is in all colours of the rainbow, in every form of nature, and in every heartbeat of life.
My Grandmother taught me the meaning of MeeWee. MeeWee is your spiritual heart within. MeeWee is meaning life in my Ngarrindjeri culture. A heart within itself, a spiritual heart.
The spirit of Thulang, like MeeWee, reminds us of the interconnectedness of all things. Thulang speaks through the bush, the birds, the flowers, the fish, and the streams. It reminds us to listen, to see, and to feel the life around us, for everything holds meaning and is part of the greater whole". Written by Alexandrina Fredricka Campbell.
“ My grandmother Amelia sings "When we look up into the sky we see the moon, stars and the sun, feel the wind the rain and heat our rainbows of all colours our animals, mountains, rivers and sea, which God created for us, so look on our MeeWee and let our spiritual healing begin. MeeWee is life in our spiritual heart journey and under our Ngarrindjeri Nation is raising our spirits up in our culture, customs and lores be proud of who you are stand by our motherland and let our spirit survive." Written by Amelia Stella Campbell.
"My Grandmother was taught the MeeWee from her Grandfather. Our Grandfather speaks of Thulang. Thulang is everything the Ngarrindjeri sees hears and tastes, there is Thulang. We must manifest Thulang as Thulang is in all living things. We must care for Thulang, as Thulang is a part of mother nature and our MeeWee". Written by Alexandrina
"A Ngarrindjeri by blood can develope to fully understand these cultural meanings if they are connected to MeeWee and Thulang and take the time to reflect on their inner MeeWee. As when my grandmother was told by her grandfather (last full blooded Ngarrindjeri passed in 1967) told her that us Ngarrindjeri have a veil covering us, our culture, tradition, customs and lores lay dormant within us. When we seek to fully find ourselves through spiritual connection we can be gifted. And I am felling blessed, a gift that we connected with the land and our spirit yesterday, a message from our ancestors, showing us that they are still here, if we choose to listen and see what nature is telling us" Alexandrina
Much love Alexandrina ❤️
