Koorie Heritage Trust

Wumen balit jindiworaback COME TOGETHER STRONG: A Statewide Indigenous Visual Artists Gathering Ground

The Koorie Heritage Trust is committed to the development, presentation and expansion of Koorie art and culture. On the 4th and 5th March 2009 the Trust hosted it’s inaugural statewide Koorie visual artists gathering ground. Entitled Wumen balit jindiworaback: Come Together Strong – 112 artists and administrators from across the state registered to attend the event. Opened by Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy with a ceremonial procession of a William Barak painting (dated 1890) and danced by the One Fire Dance Troupe, the conference moved into full swing with panel discussions and intensive hands-on arts workshops led by leading Koorie artists in the field; including Gordon Hookey, Vicki Couzens, Bronwyn Bancroft and Wayne Quilliam. Skills workshops included stone knapping, public art installations, painting masterclasses, traditional weaving, jewellery making, arts funding and getting your art on the internet.
Topics for discussion and reflection included “Doing things proper way: Is it okay to dot paint in Victoria?” and “where do we want the SE Indigenous Art community to be in ten years time?”

Wumen balit jindiworaback enabled both emerging and established Koorie artists from across Victoria to come together, network, develop new art and culture making skills and be inspired by each other. A key recommendation from the delegation was the formation of a statewide newsletter for visual artists and plans are afoot for a formal Koorie visual artists network. There was a strong call for the gathering ground to become an annual event.