By KATRINA BRANDON
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the name of a person who has died.
SHINING light on a dark memory, a new seat has been installed to honour the memory of late Morwell man Kaiden Morgan.
The seat was unveiled last Friday, little more than a year since the young Indigenous leader was senselessly killed just a few minutes from his home.
His mother, Sascha Johnston hopes the seat will allow people to pause and reflect.
“Since the tragic passing of my beautiful son Kaiden, I’ve been working with GLAWAC and some of their artists to design something that we wanted to keep here at the memorial site as a permanent tribute to Kaiden and to honour his life,” she told the Express.
“We needed this area to have something positive here instead of just the trauma associated with it (the area). It definitely helps to take away some of the negative energy, (which) is what we wanted to do here on The Boulevard, because the events were so horrific and tragic: a young, beautiful life being lost like that, a future Indigenous leader to be taken in such horrific circumstances.”
The seat features a pelican just below a picture of Kaiden, with many other Australian animals on each side. Ms Johnston said that as a Borun Boy, having the pelican on the seat with Kaiden was very important to them, as Borun means pelican.
Helping to create the work, Gippsland and GLAWAC artist Doug Hood worked with Kaiden’s family to create a work that highlighted his memory, while also bringing Kaiden’s spirit to life.
“The original idea was to have a place where family, friends and community can come and reflect on this site,” GLAWAC Strategic Cultural Leader, Grattan Mullett said.
“The area also offers opportunities for photographs, and the design in the steel template shows Kaiden dancing with the Borun Boys. The two poles that are erected there as part of the bench seat were really about creating some of the artwork that refers back to his totems.
“I’m quite proud of the collaboration between our company, GLAWAC, and the family to be able to have something long-lasting in the legacy of Kaiden, honouring his memory.”
Now, after some eight months of work, the seat is complete.
Since losing Kaiden, his family has been working on a “Justice for Kaiden” campaign to raise awareness about community safety, not just for potential victims, but to support young people away from violence.
Ms Johnston said she is grateful for the support the campaign has received from family, friends, the community, and across the nation, with people interstate showing their support for action against senseless violence.
“People need to feel safe on the street,” she said.
“What happened to Kaiden should have never happened, and shouldn’t happen again. My Justice for Kaiden campaign, and my raising awareness about community safety, is to support young people in thinking there is another way. You don’t need to carry weapons, you don’t need to ruin your life and the lives of other people.
“All lives matter. Kaiden was a young person who had his whole life ahead of him, and I want the justice system to reflect that loss, not just for what Kaiden lost, it has had a ripple effect for his friends, family and beyond.”
Kaiden’s family will be going to the Supreme Court next August, where an eight week trial into his murder is expected.
