Sid Shortjoe is a Wik Traditional Owner and Elder, living in Pormpuraaw, Far North Queensland.
In January 2025, Sid returned from Cairns hospital to Pormpuraaw after extensive heart surgery. He expressed concern upon returning that terabytes of cultural knowledge, stored in the heads of Elders, would be lost with their passing.
Hence, the Cultural Digital Mapping Project was born.
Working with RISE Ventures, Sid has embarked on a huge undertaking of identifying more than 300 largely unmarked traditional graves across five cemeteries in Pormpuraaw.
RISE Ventures clients, under the supervision of Darren Tarpencha, are making concrete crosses from recycled materials. Steel plaques will be laser etched and affixed to the crosses, displaying the skin name, clan and totem of each person.
There has been a surge in participation in the project amongst our local clients. Eight people are now working together to identify, map and mark each plot, while also gaining licences, skills and training.
Sid’s project is about more than the graves.
Every person buried in Pormpuraaw is part of the fabric of the cultural lore and history of his country. Preserving it for generations that follow him is his legacy.
Learn about how we used drones to create 3D mapping of the cemeteries: Preserving History through Technology: Mapping Pormpuraaw’s Cemeteries
