SYDNEY.- The little known story of Indigenous Australian coastal communities opened last week at the Australian Museum. Officially opened by The Hon. Victor Dominello MP Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Veterans Affairs, and Assistant Minister for Education, this new permanent exhibition, Garrigarrang: Sea Country, explores the complex ecological knowledge and deep spiritual connections to the sea and land of Australia’s First Peoples.

Showcasing more than 300 rare and unique objects from the Australian Museum’s significant Indigenous collection, many of which have not been publicly shown before, as well as films and contemporary artworks, Garrigarrang: Sea Country is the first exhibition of this scale to focus on Sea Country around Australia.

‘Garrigarrang ‘(sea) and ‘garrigarrang nura’ (sea place or country) means the ocean, plants and animals; the beach, land and estuaries; and the seasons, weather and sky. People belong to their Sea Countries and their Sea Countries belong to them. In Garrigarrang, freshwater and saltwater are essentials of life.

“We are the museum of Australia and the Pacific, and this new permanent exhibition Garrigarrang: Sea Country adds significantly to the experience of Indigenous Australian history and culture,” Kim McKay AO, director and CEO of the Australian Museum said.

“We have worked closely with local aboriginal people of the Sydney and NSW coastal communities, and will continue to deepen the connections and share their stories with the public,” Ms McKay said.

Featuring the voices of NSW Indigenous communities through video and oral history, Garrigarrang: Sea Country is the first exhibition at the Australian Museum to tell Indigenous stories in their own words, from their own perspectives using the Sydney language as the first language. The exhibition design is inspired by Sydney Harbour and recognises the Australian Museum’s relationship to its site on Gadigal Land.

Through themes of continuity, resilience and sustainability, this multi-sensory exhibition will explore many Aboriginal cultural perspectives; from the creation stories and whale ceremonies of south coast NSW, the sustainability and conservation practices in the clear turquoise waters of the Torres Strait, to the contact history, reclaiming identity and ongoing conservation responsibilities.

Traditional objects, such as the Murray Island turtle shell ornament acquired in 1884, are juxtaposed with contemporary pieces such as commissioned films and artworks highlighting connections to ‘Country’ – a living entity which sustains all life.

Through ancestral law handed down through the generations – ‘Look after Country and Country will look after you,’ – visitors will hear stories from different communities about life before colonisation, and how they used their deep ecological knowledge to adapt to major environmental changes. This knowledge helped them not only survive, but thrive, in this fragile environment.

“Indigenous people invented sustainable, renewable, biodegradable technologies and tools that were flexible and adaptable. We aim to show, through this exhibition, the extensive knowledge and depth of Indigenous culture,” Laura McBride, Creative Producer said.