In the lead up to National Reconciliation Week, Wollongong City Council will be hosting a free screening of the film WINHANGANHA at the Wollongong Art Gallery.
National Reconciliation Week is an Australia-wide celebration of the country's shared histories, cultures, and achievements. It asks everyone to explore the ways how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
In recognition of National Reconciliation Week, we're inviting our community to attend a free screening of WINHANGANHA on Saturday 25 May. We've also reinstalled the Nandhi Ngara (Look Listen) banners in the Crown Street Mall so that people walking by can appreciate the reconciliation artwork project.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said that this year's Reconciliation Week theme, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must continue.
"The failure of the referendum was a moment of grief and disappointment for many in our community. The theme of Reconciliation Week, Now More Than Ever, speaks to the truth that we have a responsibility to continue our reconciliation work," Cr Bradbery said.
"Reconciliation lives on in the hearts and minds of those who are committed to better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We have much work ahead of us, and National Reconciliation Week offers us all an opportunity to reflect on the work we can do to make our communities, places of work and homes culturally safe and welcoming for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"I encourage those interested in learning more about the country's painful and complex history, to attend the film screening of WINHANGANHA at the Wollongong Art Gallery. The film is a lyrical exploration using archival footage, sound and poetry that asks the question; how will we create a new future for our country through the understanding of that which we inherit?"
Film screening – WINHANGANHA
WHEN & WHERE: Saturday 25 May, doors open at 1pm for 1.30-2.30pm at the Wollongong Art Gallery
COST: Free. Reserve your spot via Eventbrite.
Through film, television, audio and music recordings collected since the advent of these technologies, the film is a poem in five acts that attempts to acknowledge the horrors, joys and beauties held within the archive. The film questions power and position, storyteller and the stories told. The film includes original poetry written and performed by Jazz and an original score by Filipino- Aboriginal rapper and composer DOBBY (Rhyan Clapham).
Presented by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
Art Exhibition – Nandhi Nagara (Look Listen)
WHEN & WHERE: From now – 29 July 2024 in the Crown Street Mall
Nandhi (Look) Ngara (Listen) is a community reconciliation artwork project with children from Warrawong and Corrimal East Public Schools, Para Meadows School, Keiraview Childcare Centre and young people of Five Islands Secondary College. Supported by Aboriginal artist Daren Dunn and Adam Towney from AT_Culture, the children and young people have created artwork inspired by Reconciliation and NAIDOC.
The beautiful artwork has been printed on banners and will be flown in Crown Street Mall.
