Garrigarrang: Sea Country
From the Sydney Basin to Torres Strait, discover and celebrate the rich cultures of Australia’s Salt Water People.
Garrigarrang nura means sea country in the language spoken by the Eora people, who have lived in the Sydney basin for thousands of years. Sea country encompasses every part of Australia’s coastline – its ocean, plants and animals, its beaches, land and estuaries, its seasons, weather and sky, and its Salt Water People.
Garrigarrang explores the rich cultures and spiritual traditions of the Salt Water People who call sea country home. Learn how they managed to live sustainably and harmoniously for tens for thousands of years. Hear their stories of first contact with Europeans, and their ongoing struggle to preserve their living cultural identity.
Discover traditional objects and culture from around Australia’s sea country. Explore creation stories and whale ceremonies from the NSW coast and see ceremonial costumes and dance masks from the Torres Strait.
Come to Garrigarrang and experience the richness of one of the world’s oldest continuing cultures.
Exhibition highlights
Vessels of culture
Garrigarrang nura (Sea Countries) along the east coast of Australia are filled with fertile river inlets, lakes and estuaries. When managed according to Ancestral Law, the waterways are abundant with birds, fish, animals and plants. Through making canoes and teaching the next generation, the knowledge of seasons, species and Country is passed from Elders to the next generation.
Ghost nets
Discover ghost net sculptural installations constructed from discarded trawler nets which litter the waters of northern Australia. Depicting a famous Erub Island love story, between a crab, Dauma, and a fish, Garom, the artworks transform a mindless killer into works of beauty.
Related information
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