Mother's Day 2020: Eva Nargoodah

A Mother’s role is not something you can define or lay out. Every child is different, and life is an ever-changing beast. We are all born into different environments, cultures and lifestyles but one thing that shapes me as a mother myself is that we all seem to agree that it is one of the hardest jobs in the world, yet so rewarding.

In the lead up to Mother’s Day we wanted to share with you a Mother that has inspired us, Eva Nargoodah and how her role as a Mother has extended beyond her own children.

Eva Nargoodah is an artist, a Mother of 9 children and a foster Mother of countless. A selfless role model who has a love for children and believes an open-door policy with food, creativity and the bush landscape, encourage an environment kids will thrive in ‘as long as you keep them busy and fed.’

The Importance of Family

Moving around a lot as a child meant that family was her constant. 9 children was not enough for Eva who after having her own children decided to take in anyone that needed the comfort of a loving home. ‘Back in the 80’s there was no fostering, it was more if they did not have a good home to go to, they came to mine.’

Eva Nargoodah - "Bush Flowers"

Raising Children

She fostered kids and taught them about the land, what you can create out of the earth, the power of bush medicines. She recalls that when she was brought a 3-month-old baby to look after, she arrived with sores and terrible skin, everyone got involved mixing up the bush medicines that would help heal her skin. ‘She ended up staying with me until she was 11. I loved her like my own, she calls me mum, which means a lot.’ To this day Eva remains in strong contact with all her foster children who are now located all over Australia and she talks to them regularly.

Generational Love

Eva started painting after her kids grew up. She paints her grandmother's country. ‘My grandmother taught me so much, the importance of family, bush medicines and the land.’ She has recently taken to creating beautiful silk scarves that are an expression of the land she was bought up in.

Hard Work

Eva believes raising kids is hard work, but she has an amazing sense of calm and love for her country and traditions. It is no wonder Eva’s 24 grandchildren, that she now looks after, want to always be around her, ‘they arrive first thing in the morning and often don’t go home until after sunset, they love it here.’