Ganbu Gulin: Gugung Murrup invites all residents, old and new, to be welcomed onto Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.

Ganbu Gulin, meaning “One Mob” in the Woi-Wurrung language, is an annual inclusive celebration where new citizens to Darebin are formally welcomed to Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony. 

This year’s event, Ganbu Gulin: Gugung Murrup has been curated by Darebin local and FUSE Curator-In-Residence Allara Briggs Pattison. Allara is a powerful Yorta Yorta winyarr. She is a storyteller, composer, director, producer, musician and sound designer. With humour and integrity, Allara uses the double-bass and sound samples from Country to weave textures for healing in her work “I am Sovereign, I am Free”. Allara's innovative music speaks to Blak justice and sovereignty.

The Curator-in-Residence program highlights inclusive and artist-driven works, bringing together local creatives and musicians in a new location at Bundoora Park Farm for this signature FUSE event,

Gugung Murrup reminds us Country, our kin, our wise teacher and holder of knowledge, story and songline, our Elder, reminds us of a Matriarch's wisdom within us all. There is a softness, a slowness, and intelligence within her workings that we are intrinsically linked to and when all are in harmony we all thrive. Yorta Yorta Elders call the bush, our university and supermarket, our Country has everything we need, in generosity and abundance, but what do we do when we live, off our traditional homelands? And how do we pay respect and care for the lands and people where we live now?

Ganbu Gulin: Gugung Murrup takes place at Bundoora Park Farm – Heritage Village on Saturday 14th September and features a full program curated by Darebin based artist, Allara Briggs Pattison.
Featuring:

Welcome to Country with Uncle Bill Nicholson

Djirri Djirri Dancers

Wurundjeri Education stall

Mayors welcome

Community planting workshop with Sustain

Food For Thought - First Nations Food Justice panel discussion

Aunty Brenda’s Aboriginal Cultural Experience

Damper offering from Yorta Yorta educator and author Sue Briggs.

Poorneet Tadpole Season in the Darebin Art Collection display

and

Music by Ensemble Dutala featuring Mandy Nicholson, MpathSoul and Alice Skye

Music

Reminiscent of Allara’s co-curation alongside Jarra Steel for Yaluk-ut Weelam Ngargee - Gareeal, Ganbu Gulin : Grandmother Spirit will premier new string arrangements by Aaron Wyatt Creative Director of Ensemble Dutala to be performed with Mandy Nicholson, Alice Skye, Monica Jasmine Karo - MPathSoul and Allara Briggs Pattison

Food For Thought

First Nations Food Justice

Food For Thought will be a panel yarn discussing the many elements of Food Justice we face, including conversions on Land Back, Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP), Climate Justice, access to land and more.

Planting workshop

”What do we want? First Nations food justice… aka LAND RIGHTS! When do we want it? NOW!”

During Ganbu Gulin we will be facilitating a planting session with our partners SUSTAIN who are preparing a First Nations Food Garden at the Bundoora Heritage Park site. Come get your hands in the dirt as we plant 3 significant plants to First Nations women throughout so-called Victoria; Murnong, Kangaroo Grass and Dianella, commonly known as Flax Lily. Each of these plants have been harvested predominantly by Aboriginal women forever. They are all food plants as well as having other important cultural uses.

Damper making with Sue Briggs.
Experience fresh damper made with native flour, facilitated by Yorta Yorta educator and author Sue Briggs.

For the kids
Aunty Brenda Fahey’s Aboriginal Cultural Experience for kids, includes dot painting, drawing, creating, as well as storytelling. Families are warmly invited to join Aunty Brenda of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, for some fabulous stories and free craft activities showcasing Indigenous culture. Activities include gum nut painting, leaf painting, ochre painting, storytelling, emu feathers and necklaces, macramé, a range of activities.

Poorneet Tadpole Season in the Darebin Art Collection

Presented as part of Ganbu Gulin 2024, the works in this exhibition explore the intricacies of Country and its changing seasons. Drawn from the Darebin Art Collection, the exhibition features works by Aunty Frances Gallagher, Aunty Gwen Garoni, Aunty Bunta Patten, Aunty Zeta Thomson, Deanne Gilson, Mandy Nicholson, Marlene Gilson, Megan Cope, Moorina Bonini, Peta Clancy and Trevor Turbo Brown. Each work is imbued with a sensitivity and power all at once.