Wollongong University Bega campus launches Indigenous artwork and language resource

July 25 marked a special and sacred day for the Bega Valley with a large group of community members celebrating the launch of an exciting Indigenous community-led project at the University of Wollongong (UOW) Bega campus.

The launch began with an ochre paint ceremony, conducted by Bega High Indigenous students under the guidance of their Aboriginal Education officer Erica Luff.

Guests were welcomed into the building where they then saw the newly installed artwork and language resource that adorned the university's entrance.

The artwork named 'My Dreaming Track of Knowledge with Community and Elders' depicted a colourful story of the area, created by Djiringanj and Ngarigo artist Bronwyn Luff.

The written language accompanying the artwork included 11 words and a QR code that allowed people to hear Djiringanj and Ngarigo Elder Ellen Mundy share the correct pronunciations.

Once everyone was settled inside, the event opened with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Glenda Dixon before passing back to the hands of the MC of the day UOW Bega Indigenous Student Success advisor, Emma Stewart.

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Ms Stewart said the project had been initiated by a lengthy consultation process between herself, Aunty Ellen, Bronwyn and UOW Bega campus manager Sam Avitaia.

All agreed they'd create a cultural safe space at the entrance of the university.

"I think that it's really important to include beautiful Indigenous artworks and words in language in institutions like these, so that our community can feel safe, seen and respected," Ms Stewart said.

Aunty Ellen said she was proud of Bronwyn's artwork and the story it told of the cultural significance of the Bega Valley.

"Most people don't realise that this is a sacred valley, where a lot of tribes gathered to perform ceremonies and initiations," she said.

Aunty Ellen said all the cultural events and significance of the area had come from the Dreaming, the time when the Ancestral Spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites.

"Without the Dreaming all of this wouldn't be possible and stories of this time have been passed down by our ancestors, which was recorded not in written form, but through dance, ceremonies, carvings and art," she said.

Aunty Ellen said the university's embrace of Djiringanj culture was an important step in the healing and sharing process, that would help encourage more Indigenous members in community to step forward and feel welcome to educational institutions.

"The artwork is there to make Aboriginal people feel welcome and comfortable about coming into this institution and it also helps non-Aboriginal people embrace our culture," she said.

"The language as well as the story attached to the artwork is an important part of education, teaching people about the long history of the area."

The launch also featured a special talk from Uncle David Dixon who taught the audience the importance about smoking ceremonies and invited everyone to "embrace" the blessing of the smoke at the smoking ceremony at the end.

The ceremony closed with a song performed in Djiringanj language by Michelle Dixon from the Djidjarns singing group.

The smoking ceremony was then led by Uncle David with the help of Marcus Mundy, as people lined up and the pair took it in turns to welcome people into embracing the smoke.

Bega High Year 11 Djiringanj student, Summer Norris said she had loved the idea behind the artwork.

"It's like what they said, the artwork really does makes you feel more welcome and you can tell the difference whenever you go somewhere where there is no Indigenous artwork, you just don't feel very accepted," she said.

"Seeing more Indigenous posters, language, art around town, in shops, schools and universities being put up, makes us feel like we're really being acknowledged and our culture is being celebrated."

Summer said seeing the community gathered and the celebration shared for the inclusion of Indigenous culture, really gave her hope.

"It definitely makes all of us Koori kids feel more excited about the future, because we can see things moving forward," she said.

Djiringanj and Ngarigo artist Bronwyn Luff said she'd included a lot of colour in her artwork because of the positive effect it would have on people.

"I made it colourful because it always brings a sense of happiness and calmness to a person and it helps reflect the peace of the land within the painting too," she said.

Within the artwork she also included several totems which included a lace lizard (Burnagga), which meant there was a sign of water nearby, along with totems like the sun, wattle, the bogong moth (Cori) and more.

Another integral part of the artwork is the walking track leading towards the centrepiece, which symbolised Elders and community sharing their knowledge.

The tree at the centre represented knowledge, family connection and history and the circles around it represented the ceremonial bora rings.

Ms Luff said she'd included a tree at the centre because Bega had a number of scar trees which recorded and connected cultural knowledge and significant events.

Ms Luff said she hoped people would walk away from the artwork feeling inspired by Indigenous culture and that it would draw more people to the educational institution.

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