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    our story

    chapter one: Frame one

    Every story begins with a spark, a moment where paths converge, & around the fire, we remember that we are all connected.
    One family, one story, one fire.

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    Picture a land where the sun kisses the earth, where the sky and soil meet in a dance as old as time itself. An ancient place, a place where the earth itself seems to breathe, where the land speaks in a language as old as time. This is where my journey with what would later become Ngarra began, an idea that was drawn in the sands beside a campfire right here where I am sitting now, inspiring not with a grand plan but with a simple, profound act of connection. 

    & in the eye that would change the way i see the world. & alter the trajectory of my life.

    I was standing in a small community in the middle of the Northern Territory. It was that perfect time of year to be in that part of the country, the sun painting the sky with shades of gold and red with clear skies that seem to have no end.
    I remember walking through the middle of town, town, it wasn’t a town it was a cluster of huts made out of old pieces of wood, tree branches, and corrugated iron. 

    There was a moment, I can remember this moment perfectly. I lifted my camera to take a photo – and it was good. The light streams in across the frame, the shadows cast dramatically off the make-shift patio outside the door. By all accounts, it was a good photo. Beside me stood this little jarjum, a young boy no more that 6, he had been stuck to me all day like a barnacle, he’d been watching me closely all day, his curious eyes fixed on my camera.

    I don’t know why I did, but I handed him my camera, I turned, and walked away.

    It was at that moment he raised the lens, CLICK.

    It was only later when he returned the camera I realized what he had done, for just a simple gesture, a moment that I thought meant nothing, meant everything, and captured a moment something I could never have seen. The boy took a photograph of his grandmother, who had just poked her head outside the door, her face full of happiness and love to see her grandson. It was just one single frame, he caught her laughter, her spirit, something raw and pure that would never be able to capture.

    It wasn’t just a picture; it was a window into a world that I couldn’t access on my own. It was his world, his story, his truth.  It’s rare, but there are times in your life when one chance thing happens, an occurrence that can alter the trajectory of your entire life. This was one of those moments. 

    That town isn’t there anymore. But its impact will forever be. From that moment, I knew I had to do something different. I was watching other photographers and filmmakers all over the world as I traveled, thrusting cameras in the faces of the disenfranchised, the poor, the marginalized the dispossessed, and racking up social media likes, catapulting them to social media stardom.  All in an extractive relation.

    I took this idea, this simple act of handing over the camera, and I tried it in other places. I traveled to the far corners of the earth, to places where life was hard, where the land was unforgiving, to see what their story was. And in every place, the results were the same: The photos these young people took, whether in the slums of Mumbai, or jungle of Guatemala, or the streets of Egypt, all showed the same thing—love, family, togetherness. Even in the most difficult conditions, where you’d expect to see despair, what came through in their images was a deep sense of connection, a resilience born of community.

    It wasn’t until I met Dig, my mentor, my guide, that everything truly clicked. We were sitting by the campfire, just here, at the back of Wiradjuri country, sky camp stretched out above us, under a blanket of ancient stories, ‘Ngarra’.

    Ngarra, is more than just a word. It’s a way of being, a philosophy, a unity of all things, human and nonhuman entities in the landscape being in relation, about bringing everyone and everything together around the same fire, sharing our stories, our lives, in a way that honors the connections between us all, the web of relations that make us who we are.

    Dig told me stories, sahred with me the lore, showed me the ways; ones that had been passed down through generations. Stories about how the ancestors would gather, long before the memory of time. They would sit together, painting the walls of caves, of cliffs, etching in stone and wood. stories drawn in the sands – they were timeless, intended to transcend the fleeting moment and echo through eternity. These weren’t just pictures, not just symbols; they were stories meant to be shared, and carried forward through the ages.

    These creations are more than art; they are the living breath of the ancestors, carrying their wisdom and experiences forward. Each stroke of paint, each carving in stone, each song that came from a landscape reflected in the night sky of sky camp above us was a guide for all those who would come after. These stories were a way to ensure that their knowledge, their experiences, would live on. The cautionary tales of how to live, and how not to live. They were not just for those who made them; they were gifts to the future, a way to braid the fabric of time together, binding past, present, and future in a sacred dance. Making something truly timeless.

    That’s what we need right now, as a planet. The cautionary tales to pass on to those who come after. We get those stories from all over – there is no one singular narrative, but a symphony of songs that sing and dance together around this fire. 

    He drew out what ngarra should be in the sands just here. It is the reason for all of it; why we collect their stories, their way. Why we shoot not only on digital but also on film, to embed that time place into an irreplaceable frame. That’s why we exhibit the work, to create a profound connection between the viewer and the spirit captured within each frame. When these photographs, especially those shot on film, are displayed and you stand in front of them, you don’t only see it, you feel it. They carry with them the tangible essence of the moment, the heartbeat of the land, and the spirit of the people. Film photography, with its tactile process and depth, holds a unique power to touch the spirit of those who see it. The grain, the texture, the subtle imperfections all serve as reminders of the raw, unfiltered reality of life. Their lives. In the quiet spaces of an exhibition, these images speak directly to the viewer, transcending the boundaries of time and place, evoking empathy, understanding, and a deep sense of shared humanity. It is in these moments, standing before these works of art, that we can truly feel the pulse of the stories being told, and be moved to action, to change, and to connect with our own place, and come into that relation we all share – together as one.

    Sitting by that campfire Dig drew in the dirt a series of symbols and stories, that laid out the path for ngarra to walk. How to be, how to do, how to share right story, and the impact that could have, if we do it right way.

    My work had to be more than photographs, more than extracting from people’s stories. More than documenting them from an outsiders perspective. But to come into relation, to help them to share their stories with all those ready to hear it. We have to find a way to bring those stories out of the shadows and into the light, share them with the world in a way that would honor the spirit of those who took them and the spirit of the land they were taken on. 

    This understanding of timeless storytelling is what shapes Ngarra. Just as the ancestors shared their lives through paintings, carvings, and songs written in the landscape, we share the stories of today through photographs, exhibitions, and artwork. It’s about creating a bridge between generations, allowing the voices of the past to guide the present and inspire the future. In doing so, we honor the spirit of the land and the wisdom of those who came before, ensuring that their legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of all who experience it.

    This journey, born from the simplicity of a child’s photograph, has become a movement of togetherness, of cultural preservation, and global change. It is a call to everyone to come sit around the same fire, to listen, to share, and to understand that together we are a part of something truly special, and it is together we can create meaningful, lasting change, and come back into right relation with each other, the earth, and everything that calls this planet home.

    Stories have the power to connect us to our past, our present, and our future. By honoring and sharing traditional knowledge through storytelling, we can create a more sustainable and harmonious world. It starts with story.

    Dig drew up the idea of ngarra in the dirt right here, and once done, he wiped it away with his hand printed in the warm earth.
    The path of Ngarra is winding, as all paths are. It follows a songline, a map of a story drawn in the sand that night, as Dig sang us the song that would lead the way for everyone who comes into contact with this project. When you touch this, it changes you. And you feel it. That’s not me, that’s him.

    come sit by the fire for a moment - let’s share some stories.

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    behind the lens

    meet andrew d flanagan

    Andrew D Flanagan is a documentary photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller. Andrew’s work in preservation and conservation has taken him across 127 countries and 7 continents, documenting peoples, cultures, and countries. His mission, as given to him by his mentor and elder, Uncle Dig Jones, is to help bring everyone back under the lore of the land, a task that redefined Andrew’s work to sharing story, lore, to retrieve forward ancient knowledge and ways of being to bring people back into their role as custodians of creation.

    I was living in New York City, had been for about 3 years. I was traveling the world with corporate photographic and web development work, but it was a trip to Alaska that changed everything when I realized that I was living my life through someone else’s version of happiness. There was a hole in my spirit that I knew was there, but didn’t. Once I heard that, felt that, nothing would be the same. I wasn’t allowed to return back to New York after Alaska, and I found himself with nothing but my backpack and a camera back, sent back to Australia, living out of my Land Rover that I had to rebuild because I had nothing. At the same time, I was fighting an ongoing illness that required another operation to remove. That was when I met Dig; and spent time out on country, reconnecting to land I hold an ancestral connection with. Was brought into the ways, through ritual and ceremony for healing, and coming into relation with the spirit of place – this was more than the start of a new chapter in my life – it was the signing of a contract with Dig and the ancestors, one that bound me to a purpose that would span lifetimes. 

    Through Dig, I was introduced to the Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing that had been nurtured and protected by First Nations peoples for tens of thousands of years. These were not just teachings to be learned – they were lifeways to be lived. They were patterns of being that connected me back to the land, to my ancestors, and to a way of seeing the world has never been more important to live by. Dig didn’t just show me a new path; he opened his eyes to the songlines etched in the landscape, to the stories embedded in the stars, and to the responsibility that comes with being in relation to all things. It changed my work, my vision, the way he operated in the world. Redefining everything I did in a new way.

    Meeting Dig wasn’t just a chance encounter; it was a turning point, a moment that would redefine everything he thought he knew. Dig didn’t just teach him; he unraveled the threads of Andrew’s life that were knotted with confusion and disconnection, and he began weaving them back together with the wisdom of generations. Through his ritual magic, the work they did together, mentally, physically, spiritually, it, in how he described it, rewrote his DNA, and changed everything, never to see the world the same way again. This wasn’t a simple lesson or a piece of advice—it was a profound redirection, a recalibration of his entire existence.

    Ngarra is one of the key pieces at the center of how this goal is being achieved. It is more than a project; it is a living expression of the wisdom Dig imparted. It is a platform that brings together people, stories, and cultures in a way that honors the past while actively shaping the future. Through Ngarra, Andrew and his team are creating spaces where voices can be heard, where stories can be shared, and where the interconnectedness of all life is both celebrated and strengthened.

    In the end, Dig didn’t just save Andrew from a life of disconnection, or from the skin cancer of which Andrew hasn’t had another one since the healing ceremony and ritual he went through —he gave him the tools to save others, to reconnect them with the land, with their own stories, and with each other. The work of Ngarra is a testament to the power of that connection, a reminder that we are all part of a larger story, one that is still being written, one that we all have a hand in shaping.

    written in the sand

    the legacy of Dig.

    While Dig is no longer walking country along side us, Ngarra stands as a testament to his vision, and mission. It is a platform that honors the past, celebrates the present, and inspires a future where humanity lives in harmony with the natural world, guided by not only the wisdom of Indigenous cultures, but the ways of knowing it. We all hold it, each of us, a fractal part of the pattern of creation. One way we can bring the world back into that relation is through the eyes of its children. By allowing the youth to share their vision, how they see the world, their stories, and cultures, the global community is introduced not just to the things, but the processes. Not the What, but the How.

    We are not just documenting life; we are participating in the reclamation of our way of being – of human-being: a way that respects the land, that honors the interconnectedness of all life, and that recognizes the importance of every voice in the circle of creation. By allowing the youth to share their vision, we are inviting the global community to see the world through their eyes, to understand the processes that sustain life, and to join us in the work of reconciliation, regeneration, and renewal.

    We are the ancestors of the future. We hold the past, and protect the future. This is our responsibility, our mission, and our obligation for all our children that come after us. It is a task that I have devoted my life to taking a few steps forward, one that those who come after me will continue. And it’s a mission that I invite you to join. Let’s take a seat around the campfire, inviting others we meet on this journey to join us, to bring their stories along side ours, learning from, and living in relation with all cultures of the lands we call home. Together we can build a more just, regenerative, and interconnected world, where each action is a step toward a brighter future for all beings, human and non-human, and all the spirits that all this place home.

    Together, as one, we can change the world, one frame at a time.

    web of relations holds us

    All knowledge is held within our web of relations. It is this interconnectedness of existence and the critical role of storytelling in preserving and transmitting knowledge, embedded in the narratives passed down through generations for tens of thousands of years.

    The strength of our work lies in the community we bring together to sit around the fire. Each member of our team, each partner, each collaboration contributes their unique skills, perspectives, and experiences, their fingerprint of webs of relation. Our collective approach ensures that every story we tell is imbued with depth, richness, and authenticity.

    Just as every voice is essential around the fire, every member of our team plays a vital role in shaping our creative process. From photographers to writers, designers to storytellers, aunties, uncles, grandparents, children, each has a unique voice to add to the conversation that enriches the work we make with you. We all come together to honor the traditions of the past while forging a path towards a more sustainable and harmonious future, sitting in our shared commitment to nurturing community relationships rooted in respect, understanding, and empowerment.

    the why

    it's something we ask of everyone who works with us; from ambassadors to partners - what's your why?

    “When we were approached to build the Ngarra website, it was clear from the start that this was more than just another project. Ngarra’s mission to amplify Indigenous voices and preserve cultural heritage resonated deeply with our core values at Earth Legacy Social Good Creative Studio. We saw the opportunity not just to create a platform, but to build a digital campfire—a place where stories could be shared, and cultures could connect. As a social good studio, our purpose is to support initiatives that drive meaningful change, and partnering with Ngarra allowed us to do just that. We are honored to play a part in this journey and contribute to a future where every story is heard and every culture is celebrated.”

    “At the VA Network, our mission is to elevate Indigenous voices and provide a platform where stories can be shared with the world. When we learned about Ngarra and their work in empowering youth through photography and storytelling, we knew this was a partnership we had to pursue. Ngarra’s vision of creating lasting change in communities aligns perfectly with our own goals of fostering cross-cultural understanding and building a global community. By featuring Ngarra’s projects on our streaming service, we are able to bring these powerful stories to a wider audience, creating a ripple effect that inspires and educates. Joining forces with Ngarra means that together, we can make a greater impact and ensure that Indigenous voices are not just heard, but celebrated on a global stage.”

    “Partnering with Ngarra was a natural choice for the ITA Foundation, as our mission is to provide free support and resources to creatives and entrepreneurs who are making a difference in their communities. Ngarra’s commitment to empowering youth, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering community development through storytelling perfectly aligns with our own objectives. We believe that by supporting Ngarra, we are not only helping to build a sustainable future for these communities but also contributing to a broader movement of cultural preservation and social good. It’s inspiring to see the impact that Ngarra is having, and we are proud to be a part of this incredible journey. Together, we are empowering the next generation of storytellers and change-makers.”

    ThANk yOU

    together as one we can make a difference.

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    Quinkan

    NGARRA’s Uganda Village project is a community-based initiative aimed at empowering youth in a remote village in Uganda through the transformative power of photography and storytelling.

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