Header artwork by Gubbi Gubbi Artist Maggie Douglas.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and explore how we can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The NRW dates remain the same each year: 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant reconciliation milestones – the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.
This year's theme 'Now More Than Ever', is a reminder that the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will – and must – continue.
At QPAC, we’re committed to our own reconciliation journey through our Reconciliation Action Plan and we wholeheartedly support NRW 2024. Much of the reconciliation work to be done starts with education, and we thought we’d share a few things to read, watch, visit and listen to during National Reconciliation Week and beyond to promote empathy and understanding:
READ
Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia (RA) is the lead body for reconciliation in the nation. The RA website has a wealth of information including the Australian Reconciliation Barometer, easy to understand explanations of Policy and research that impacts reconciliation, as well as guidelines on creating a Reconciliation Action Plan or crafting an appropriate Acknowledgement of Country.
Visit the Reconciliation Australia website.
Image courtesy of Reconciliation Australia.
Dark Emu – Bruce Pascoe
In Dark Emu, accomplished author Bruce Pascoe argues for a reconsideration of the ‘hunter-gatherer’ tag for pre-colonial Aboriginal Australians. Providing compelling evidence from the diaries of early explorers that suggest systems of land management and food production have been blatantly understated in retellings of early Aboriginal history. As he attempts to rebut the colonial myths that have become commonplace in this nation's history, Bruce Pascoe calls for a new look at Australia’s past.
An award winning documentary, The Dark Emu Story, which tracks the impact of the book is also available to watch for free on ABC iview.
Buy a copy of Dark Emu or find a library near you.
Image courtesy of Magabala Books.
The power of Truganini: reclaiming a hero’s story – NITV Feature
NITV, Australia's national Indigenous television and media organisation, celebrates the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this feature Article, Dan Butler explores the life of Truganini, a warrior, diplomat, fugitive and mother whose remarkable story is often reduced to one of tragedy. Throughout one of the darkest and most gruesome chapters of history, Truganini held her power and remained true to her culture until her dying days.
Read the Feature Article about Truganini here.
Image courtesy of NITV.
VISIT
Deaf in Dance – Free Showcase (25 May 2024 – 16 March 2025)
Located in the State Library of Queensland, this lively and rhythmically charged showcase from the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group (DIDG), sees movement become a moving expression of culture, identity and resilience. DIDG are a proud Deaf First Nations dance troupe that spans over 27 years of community impact and engagement – making them a nationally renowned testament to the universal language of dance.
This free showcase features artworks and digital stories exhibited with photographs by photo-journalist Sean Davey.
Find out more and plan your visit here.
Image courtesy of State Library of Queensland.
mudunama kundana wandaraba jarribirri: Judy Watson – Free Exhibit (23 March – 11 August 2024)
‘mudunama kundana wandaraba jarribirri’, translated as ‘tomorrow the tree grows stronger’, is an exhibition by Judy Watson that includes 130 works across painting, print, sculpture, installation and video. In this exhibit, her most extensive solo exhibition to date, Judy Watson’s practice is centred on truth-telling around the environment, historical government policy affecting Indigenous Australians, and institutions that collect First Nations cultural material and remains.
Find out more and plan your visit here.
Image courtesy of Queensland Art Gallery.
WATCH
Creative Types with Warwick Thornton
In this episode of Creative Types, a series that features some of Australia’s most brilliant artistic minds, Virginia Trioli speaks to Warwick Thornton. Thornton, a Kaytetye man, is an award-winning director, screenwriter, cinematographer whose debut film won the Camera d’Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
With his childhood home of Alice Springs as a mesmerising backdrop, this episode explores Thornton’s gift of telling the stories of First Nations Australians, his connection to the landscape of his youth, and explores the formative moments that have influenced his craft.
Watch this episode of Creative Types here.
Image courtesy of ABC.
Storytelling Through Art - Common Ground
Storytelling Through Art is a film project featured on Common Ground, a First Nations not-for-profit that centres First Nations people as well as their knowledge, cultures and stories. Each episode of this series celebrates a different First Nations artist from across the continent and surrounding islands. There are currently three episodes in this series featuring Yuin and Thunghutti rapper Nooky, Bundjalung artist Shaun Daniel Allen, and Warlpiri artist Audrey Napanangka.
Image courtesy of Common Ground.
LISTEN
ABC Conversations Interview with Aboriginal Elder and Author, Aunty Ruth Hegarty
In this ABC Conversations Interview, Sara Kanowski talks to Aunty Ruth Hegarty about her experiences growing up in Barambah, later known as Cherbourg Aboriginal Mission, working as a domestic servant at just 14, through to becoming a mother and advocate for the Indigenous community.
Listen to Aunty Ruth's ABC Conversations interview here.
Image courtesy of ABC.
Word Up – ABC
In the words of producer Daniel Browning, ‘‘Keeping languages alive is not a nostalgia project. In our languages, Aboriginal people are central – not peripheral – and for me, that’s why we need to retain them." An excerpt from the ABC Radio National AWAYE! Programme, Word-Up is a short-form podcast that, in each episode, highlights a word from one of the many languages of Aboriginal Australia.
Image courtesy of ABC.
Big Ancestor Energy Playlist by Alethea Beetson
Alethea Beetson is a Kabi Kabi and Wiradjuri artist, Artistic director and producer, as well as the founder of the Indigenous led youth arts organisation, Digi Youth Arts. Her research explores the function of ritual, resistance and resurgence in the creative development and production of Indigenous performance.
Image courtesy of Alethea Beetson.
Mob Music - Clancestry 2024 Playlist
While it may be too early to experience the full Clancestry program, this playlist features the incredible First Nations artists that will take to the Mob Music stage at QPAC from 1 to 3 August 2024, in three days of free live music.