The history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are being celebrated with a range of NAIDOC Week events in the west.
VU at MetroWest will host Born into Sovereignty, Live in Sovereignty by Paola Balla, winner of the three-dimensional works category at last year’s Victorian Indigenous Awards.
Opening 4pm today (July 1) and running until July 31, the provocative series of works explores ideas of Aboriginal sovereignty, decolonisation and identity.
VU at MetroWest will also host a NAIDOC Week forum from 1-3pm on July 7 and an artist workshop (11am) and artist talk (noon) on Saturday, July 25.
Footscray Community Arts Centre will feature creative works from Gunai and Gunditjmara artist Arika Waulu; multi-discipline artists Genevieve Grieves and Balladong Noongar woman Della; and a solar-powered film festival celebrating the journeys of Indigenous film makers. The Talking Pictures Film Festival will highlight the diversity and complexities of indigenous storytelling.
Residents are invited to attend a Hobsons Bay flag-raising event at the civic centre in Altona on Monday at noon, while an art show featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent from the west will run at Laverton Community Hub from July 8 to August 7.
Hobsons Bay Libraries will host a Possum Hunt Puppet Show and ochre painting at Altona and Laverton on Thursday.
The national NAIDOC Week theme this year is We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate.
