Palawa artist Lola Greeno makes her shell work in the spirit of cultural renewal – an essential practice in Tasmania, where the impact of European invasion was severe. Greeno worked alongside her mother for over 20 years, inspired by her example in preserving women’s cultural heritage.

Maireener shells are the most prized of the various species used by Tasmanian women. The shells are collected seasonally (only twice each year) and it takes one to two weeks to collect enough for a necklace. These precious shells are bright green, shot with blue – evocative of the icy Tasmanian seas. Palawa women’s shell necklaces are unique. They are sometimes strung in culturally proscribed sequences and at other times a degree of innovation is introduced. Truganini (c. 1812–76), whose life story epitomises the impact of colonisation on Tasmanian Aboriginal communities, is typically depicted wearing a maireener necklace very similar to those being made by Greeno and other Palawa artists today.