Cultural contribution a dream opportunity
A sculpture with engravings of the names of some of the region’s top-performing Aboriginal students will honour an historic exhibition running in Albany for the past five months.
Yurlmun: Mokare Mia Boodja, which showcases 14 Aboriginal artefacts that date back to 1821, has been on display at the WA Museum-Albany since November and is set to be returned to the British Museum in April.
To honour the historic exhibition, the Aboriginal Heritage Reference Group will donate a red-tailed black cockatoo sculpture with engravings of students from the Albany Follow The Dream program.
Museum of the Great Southern regional manager Rachael Wilsher-Saa said the exhibition had an important meaning.
“Yurlmun: Mokare Mia Boodja means ‘returning to Mokare’s home country’ and showcases the significant shared history of Albany’s Menang people and early European settlers through the historic objects on display,” she said.
Ms Wilsher-Saa said the new sculpture recognised the significance of the exhibition.
“The Museum of the Great Southern will be honoured to receive the red-tailed black cockatoo sculpture from the Aboriginal Heritage Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation and display it in the museum,” she said.
“Having the names of the Follow The Dream students is a special touch, creating a legacy for Yurlmun: Mokare Mia Boodja.”
Albany Follow a Dream program co-ordinator Stuart Myers said it was a great opportunity for the students.
“It’s a real honour for our kids to be involved in engraving and inscribing their names and messages on these birds that will be permanently displayed down at the Albany museum,” he said.
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