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WynActive’s NAIDOC celebrations 2024

#NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek #BlakLoudProud

July 15, 2024

naidoc week 2024

In the Wyndham area, the indigenous history is a vibrant tapestry woven with the cultural heritage of the Bunurong and Wadawurrung People, essential members of the Kulin Nation. This region intricately houses five distinctive language groups, encapsulating the profound cultural significance and connection to the land.

Renowned artist John Lambley, and his children Jy, Giselle, Kyle, Kain and Mason are proud Wadawurrung people living on Wadawurrung country. Together John, Jy and Giselle have brought the essence of Indigenous art to life with “Past & Present Dreaming”, the remarkable artwork commissioned for WynActive.

In a gesture of respect and acknowledgment of the traditional custodians of the land, WynActive hosted a special ceremony at Eagle Stadium on Monday, 8th July at 10:00am. The event commenced with a solemn welcome to country, recognising the traditional custodians of the land, followed by a traditional smoking ceremony to purify and cleanse the surroundings.

The Lambley family then presented the Past & Present Dreaming, and proudly told a story about the art piece. Guiding us through artwork that intricately weaves together the essence of AquaPulse, Eagle Stadium and Werribee Outdoor Pool, capturing the vibrant histroy and life of Wyndham.

This Friday, 12th July, at 3:00 pm, we journeyed across the natural borders of the Werribee River into Bunurong country and met at AquaPulse, for a final smoking ceremony to conclude our NAIDOC week celebrations.

As we closed NAIDOC week with a final cleansing ceremony, we took this moment to reflect on our journey filled with celebration and connection.

This week has been a profound collaboration between art and community, demonstrating the enduring spirit of reconciliation and cultural preservation.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lambley family for making this week exceptional with their stunning art piece, “Past and Present Dreaming.” Their creation and storytelling have now woven WynActive into their narrative.

Across Eagle Stadium in Wadawurrung country, AquaPulse in Bunurong country, and Werribee Outdoor Pool at the sacred site of Bungies Hole—a historic meeting place for the Wadawurrung and Bunurong people—we honor these vibrant cultural landscapes.

WynActive continues to embrace the Indigenous roots of Wyndham. Initiatives like these reflect our commitment to celebrating diversity and cultivating a more inclusive society for everyone.

#NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek #BlakLoudProud

Past & present dreaming

Past & Present Dreaming: A story by John Lambley

“In the land of our ancestors, the Dreamtime, a world we believe still lives on, guiding us through our lives today. Our stories begin with the creation – with symbols of man, woman, and child representing the continuum of our people. We speak of Bunjil, our great creator, who transcends both the Dreamtime and the present, embodied in the form of a Wedge-tailed eagle. Even now, the majestic eagle soars above Werribee, watching over and protecting us.

The You Yangs rise prominently, a place deeply significant to the Wadawurrung people. Here, our ancestors lived, hunted, and traveled. You can still trace their journeys, marked by the imprints of roo prints, boomerangs, and Goim Gulliwan – the kangaroo. Sunlight bathed their days, rains refreshed the land, and the night sky wove a tapestry of ancestral connections.

The Werribee River flows steadily, a vital artery through the municipality. It has always been more than just water to our people; it is alive, a source of sustenance and life. Along its banks lies Bungie’s Hole, a site held in great reverence. This place was a natural meeting ground for our people and the neighbouring Bunurong, where we gathered peacefully by the flowing river. The riverbanks told tales of campsites and journeys, marked by the presence of creatures like the Echidna, Waa the Crow–our hero, Parwan the Magpie, and the Ring-Tailed Possum. The resilient eucalypt trees rooted along the water speak of an enduring connection to the land, from the Werribee south coast to the coastline teeming with turtles, dolphins, and jellyfish.

The coastlines themselves, alive with stories and the essence of our people’s journeys, housed middens and meeting places – touchstones of our culture for tens of thousands of years. These places anchor us to our past and will always be culturally significant.

Fast forward to the present. We see the Werribee community, still symbolised by man, woman, and child, journeying through life’s landscape. The modern-day symbols of community interactions are embodied in the three WynActive sites: Eagle Stadium, AquaPulse, and the Outdoor Pool. These are the places where the community of Werribee connects, journeys converging and diverging in a dance of contemporary life.

In the words of John Donne, “No man is an island entirely unto himself.” Despite our rich tapestry of history and culture spanning millennia, we acknowledge today’s community’s importance and its dynamic interactions. Through WynActive, we represent and celebrate the unity of past and present, weaving our ancient traditions and modern experiences into a single, living narrative.”