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I have only ever known the Canning Stock Route as disputed native title asset; as a reportedly desirable adventure tourism location; and as the subject of National Party jokes. Today’s experience was moving and enlightening. During 2011 we have visited some of the most celebrated museums and archaelogical sites in Europe. None was more impressive than your exhibition. You have created an irresistible combination of breathtaking art, compelling narrative and captivating displays. You have enabled the story of the Stock Route’s creation to be given the attention and notoriety it deserves. Among other things, unexpectedly the traditional owners’ loss provides a unique opportunity for ordinary people (like me) to understand better Aboriginal art through the various depictions of the Stock Route in its landscape.

Wiradjuri elder Jimmy Smith also accompanied the Canning Stock Route Project team on many of these exhibition tours and now takes over as the official guide for Yiwarra Kuju in Sydney. Bookings for Jimmy’s tours Yiwarra Kuju can be made on the Australian Museum website. Yiwarra Kuju  shows in Sydney until 29 April 2012.

After visitng Yiwarra Kuju during CHOGM Christine Mungai wrote an article about the exhibition entitled ‘Aboriginal art exhibition celebrate a living culture and way of life’ for The East African Magazine.  Since it has not been published online here is a small excerpt for you:

All around the world, indigenous cultures seemed to follow the same trajectory once they came into contact with European colonisers: Not only did they fall to the invaders’ superior weapons, they were also infected by new diseases against which they had no immunity, decimating the population far more efficiently than the European guns. In the end, once-robust cultures were very nearly wiped out completely.

One notable exception is Africa. Despite suffering outbreaks of diseases like smallpox and rinderpest that devastated both humans and livestock, the African continent was not completely taken over by colonisers the way that North America, South America and Australia were.

For this reason, the Yiwarra Kuju Canning Stock Route exhibition that was on display in Perth, Australia during this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting had a particular personal resonance. Yiwarra Kuju means “One Road,” and the exhibition puts together paintings, stories, short films, cultural artefacts, photography and interactive media to tell the story of how a cattle track forged by government surveyor Alfred Canning cut through Aboriginal territory, disrupting traditional cultures and livelihoods.

The story of the Canning Stock Route is reminiscent of the Kenya- Uganda railway line cutting its way from Mombasa to Lake Victoria, meeting fierce resistance on the way, and priming those lands to be settled by Europeans. In the late 19th century, the gold mines of western Australia were facing a beef shortage because cattle had been infested by ticks that causes red fever.

Also Epoch Times have published a second article in Chinese about the exhibition. You can view this article online here.

Yiwarra Kuju has now opened in Sydney where it will be on display at the Australian Museum until the 22 April 2012. For more information visit the Australian Museum website: http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/event/Yiwarra-Kuju-The-Canning-Stock-Route/

Photo by Tim Acker, 2011

Here are some of the latest comments we have received in our guest book:

‘This is the most beautiful exhibition I have seen on the art, cultural and traditional language of my people, the First Nation people.’

‘One of the best exhibitions I have seen. The story seeped into me and I left very moved by what I had experienced. Thank you.’

‘Very emotional-the stories of dislocation…. But my heart warms to the stories of connection to each other country. I loved it, well presented. Thanks.’

‘Outstanding – how sad in all my formal education I learnt none of this history – hope my grandchildren will get to know now.’

‘One of the most fascinating exhibitions I’ve ever seen. It took me three visits to be able to see it all and I am stunned by the artwork, the colours, the display information, the multi-media.’

In the last three weeks we have had nearly 40 school groups from across Western Australia visit Yiwarra Kuju: the Canning Stock Route and enjoy the rich stories from this Country. The images here were made by Spearwood Alternative School students after visitng the exhibition. Inspired by artworks they have extended and interpreted the paintings on the postcards with their own colours and patterns. We wonder what other schools have been up to after visiting the show?

http://e-paper.epochtimes.com/?Qwd=./Perth/20111119_58&Qif=_60_20111119_21.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=FS&Qtmp=popup

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had an overwhelming amount of visitors to the Canning Stock Route exhibition. Closing this Sunday, this is your last chance in Perth to absorb the oral histories, stories, art and digital media that has made this exhibition such an asset to our country’s historical records.

I live in the UK but my daughter has her home in Mindarie and she has just sent me a link to your Canning Stock Route Project website. May I say how fascinating and thought-provoking I found it to be. Beautifully designed and written, the website, and especially its black and white pictures, has a remarkable impact.

A fine production. I just wish I could visit the exhibition myself.

Best wishes,

Neil Dunkin