Cultural Index
Honouring Language & Connection to Country
From my Butchulla and Torres Strait Islander heritage, I weave language into my collections and licensing packages to reflect growth, connection, and storytelling.
This index explains the meaning of the words I use, so that anyone who visits Shereedee Designs can learn, appreciate, and carry a little piece of culture with them.
Please note: Not all cultural knowledge is shared here. The words included are chosen with care and respect, and are appropriate for public use.
Words in Use
Gulayi
Meaning: Growth, sprouting, development
Use: Featured in my Gulayi Growth license tier, representing small businesses expanding their creative journey.
Sprout
Meaning: New beginnings, small shoots of life
Use: Reflected in my Dreaming Sprout license tier, where creativity first begins.
Littlies
Meaning: A gentle way of describing little ones, children
Use: Inspiration for my Bushland Littlies collection, celebrating children and their connection to Country.
Dreaming
Meaning: Refers to cultural stories, spirituality, law, and connection to Country — the creation period and continuing cultural framework.
Use: Reflected in my Dreaming Sprout license tier and in collections such as Bush Fairy Dreaming, Kangaroo Dreaming, and Joey Dreaming.
Bushland
Meaning: Country, natural environment, land, and life interconnected.
Use: Inspiration for collections including Bushland Littlies, Bushland Botanicals, Bushland Whispers, Bushland Brights, and Bushland Christmas Tale.
Joey
Meaning: Baby kangaroo. The word “kangaroo” itself comes from Guugu Yimithirr language (gangurru).
Use: Featured in Joey Dreaming, celebrating new life and connection to native animals.
Kangaroo
Meaning: A native Australian animal; the word comes from Guugu Yimithirr language (gangurru).
Use: Reflected in Kangaroo Dreaming, honouring a strong cultural and natural symbol.
Country
Meaning: In First Nations culture, “Country” means more than land — it embodies spirit, kinship, identity, and belonging.
Use: Woven through my design stories, representing connection to land, water, sky, and culture.
Gum nut
Meaning: The woody fruit of eucalyptus trees, a symbol in storytelling and children’s imagery.
Use: Featured in designs such as gum nut babies and bush babies, connecting nature and imagination.
Bush Babies
Meaning: Inspired by cultural and storytelling traditions around children of the bush, nature, and Country.
Use: Incorporated in character designs that blend imagination with connection to native flora and fauna.
Botanicals
Meaning: Plant life, especially flowers and foliage; in a First Nations context, plants hold deep cultural, medicinal, and spiritual significance.
Use: Reflected in Bushland Botanicals, celebrating native flora of Butchulla Country and beyond.
Whispers
Meaning: Gentle voices, quiet messages, and the way Country speaks through wind, trees, and spirit.
Use: Inspiration for Bushland Whispers, a collection that carries the soft stories and connections of Country.
Closing Note
Language is more than words — it is connection, identity, and belonging. Each name I choose for my collections and licensing carries meaning from my Butchulla and Torres Strait Islander heritage, honouring Country and the stories that inspire my work.
By sharing this Cultural Index, I hope to invite others to learn, respect, and walk alongside these words with care.