.png)
Aboriginal children helping tooth fairy on a mission
An innovative sand-animation video created by Aboriginal children from the Goldfields is helping spread the word about a project to identify childhood exposure to heavy metals across remote communities.
The Heavy Metal Tooth Fairy project led by The University of Western Australia examines baby teeth from children across communities in Perth, the Goldfields and Central Desert regions.
In January 2026, the sand animation was created during a two-week creative residency in Kalgoorlie by animator Steven Aiton with local children, artists Tanya Tucker and Rebecca Stokes, musician Lynn Hazelton and project volunteers to develop the story, create the sand artwork, compose an original soundtrack and record the narration.
Heavy Metal Tooth Fairy project chief investigator Dr Annette Stokes AM, Honorary Research Fellow from UWA’s School of Earth and Oceans, said the animation communicated important messages about environmental health in an engaging and culturally meaningful way.
Comments