Aunty Jo wearing emu feathers

A yarn with Elder and artist – Aunty Jo

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Aunty Joanne Honeysett is a proud Taungurung Elder, wawa biik Cultural Tour Guide, mother, recent grandmother and is also an accomplished artist. Having worked in challenging community roles in the past, her love of painting provided a therapeutic outlet. With an urge to share her Taungurung identity and story, her paintings have become an important part of of her cultural expression. Her work has been commissioned for public murals and sold internationally but she also keeps a tightly-held private collection that is sacred to her and her kids. We yarn about her personal art journey, her art style and future aspirations for the Taungurung artist community.

Uncle Mick, Mitchil and Corey with their art - We Scar Many Trees

The back story of ”We Scar Many Trees” with the artist, Uncle Mick Harding

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Uncle Mick is a proud Taungurung Elder of the Yowong-Illam-Baluk and Nattarak Baluk clans of the Taungurung Nation and takes pride in sharing cultural narratives through his work. He describes art as a ‘rainbow of many things’, which is fitting for someone that specialises in many different mediums including wood working, sculpture, and printmaking.  He has his own family art business called Ngarga Warendj (Dancing Wombat) producing beautiful hand-made cultural items and gifts.

He likes to push the boundaries with his art practice. His most recent project called ‘We Scar Many Trees’ took an innovative approach by taking an age-old cultural practice of scarring trees and presenting it as a contemporary art form. Working alongside his sons Mitchil and Corey they expressed cultural stories within the scarred trees across the entire length of the Great Victorian Rail Trail. Uncle Mick cites this project as one of his most proud because of the opportunity to pass on cultural knowledge to his sons as part of the process.

We yarn with Uncle Mick to delve into his unique art story and find out more about his works on the recently launched Art on the Great Victorian Rail Trail.

Sammy Trist artwork at the Yea Discovery Centre

A closer look at the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre

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The Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre, in the heart of Taungurung Country is not only an accredited Visitor Information Centre but is also a multi-faceted learning experience on the importance of water resources and wetland ecology. It features interpretive displays, a gift shop, room hire and local information inside but the main drawcard is what is to be found outside. They have 32 hectares of wetlands and walking trails on their back doorstep offering recreational and educational opportunities in this unique habitat.

With strong family ties to the Yea area, Aunty Angela ten Buuren (Franklin), along with her family members have been heavily involved in the wetlands committee over many years. They are passionate about sharing the Taungurung story of this place and embedding Taungurung perspectives and culture into both the visitor experience and management of this important ecosystem on Country.

We yarn with Aunty Angela about the Taungurung aspects that visitors can engage with at the Yea Wetlands Discovery Centre precinct, including the Franklin Trail, Taungurung art, Indigenous Garden, and new Taungurung art on display.

This special place on Taungurung Country is where the White Bellied Sea Eagle calls home

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Tahbilk Winery Estate is well known for its wine but this place encompasses so much more. Few would know that the Estate boasts 1,214 hectares of river flats and a biodiverse wetland habitat that is a haven for wildlife. With the land and waring (Goulburn River) at the heart of all they do, Tahbilk is serious about protecting and regenerating the land. They are proud to have been certified Net Carbon Zero by Toitu Envirocare, are Certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia and have revegetated 180 hectares of land using native plants. Of course the story of tabilk-tabilk (place of many waterholes in Taungurung language) connects deeply to the Taungurung story and we are proud to partner with Tahbilk to share this story through the self-guided Indigenous Flora Trail and our wawa biik guided experiences. Lachie Thomas is Tahbilk’s Environmental and Vineyard Research Analyst who has the enviable job of working amongst this beautiful ecosystem on a daily basis and is behind many of these sustainability initiatives. We yarn with Lachie about all things work, wetlands and wildlife.

bark of country

10 Taungurung words to learn before visiting Country

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Australia is home to approximately 700 First Nations languages, most of which have been displaced since colonisation. Language is a key part of cultural identity and the Taungurung community is today proudly reviving their Taungurung language. Aunty Loraine Padgham – Taungurung Elder and Chair of the Taungurung Language Group, explains more about the revitalisation of the Taungurung language and provides us with 10 key words you too can learn and speak when on Taungurung Country:

Why is it important to heal the Taungurung language?

Our language is inextricably connected to our culture, our understanding of place and time.  Embedded in our language is a story that is incomplete and needs to be reclaimed to be able to understand our ancestors, their way of life, the time in which they lived and their way of thinking.

What is the process for healing language?

Language revival of an oral language, that has not been spoken for many generations, has been a long and arduous task.  From a collection of words and phrases recorded by early colonists, clergy, government officials and others, an analysis was undertaken to ascertain the sounds and pronunciation.  These sounds were then represented by agreed community spelling principles.  With the aid of linguistic techniques, an analysis of recorded phrases was undertaken to determine the underlying grammar of forming sentences.  Many Taungurung Elders have contributed to our language reclamation to enable us to reach the point of being able to develop materials for future generations.

As a Taungurung Elder, how does it feel to speak revived Taungurung language on Country? 

Developing a rudimentary skill of speaking basic Taungurung has been challenging and at the same rewarding.  To be able to speak simple sentences and use words that have not been heard for many generations acknowledges those who came before us.  It enables us to relate more closely with our ancestors by gaining an understanding of a thinking process that is quite different to English.  It directly connects us with our country and history.

What is your hope for future of Taungurung language?

The hope is for members of community to have some understanding of the language.  To be able to use simple greeting words, know the names of some plants and animals and have a knowledge of the meanings behind placenames.  Each small step helps the community gain a greater understanding of our language.

Tours on Taungurung Country

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The Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC) is developing a Cultural Experiences brand that will provide locals with the opportunity to connect with passionate Taungurung leaders and the story of the Taungurung Nation.

Ten proud Taungurung people successfully completed the first Taungurung Cultural Tour Guide Program in March 2022.

The three-week program delivered in partnership with tourism industry experts, covered the basics of managing safe and enjoyable visitor experiences and provided the guides confidence in telling their personal stories of culture.

The guides learned storytelling techniques from other guides in the industry and participated in hands-on cultural learning on Taungurungg Country. A strong focus and purpose behind their tourism experiences is the opportunity for intergenerational learning.

This program was the first step in creating a Taungurung-led culturally safe space for Taungurung youth and Elders to come together to consolidate knowledge and gain confidence in sharing stories of culture with guests.

Nagambie, with its rich cultural heritage and natural assets, will feature in one of the first tours set to launch later this year.

Taungurung guides look forward to developing relationships with the wider community across Nagambie and surrounds – connecting them more deeply with the cultural stories of the places they live and work.

Tourism is the opportunity to create a welcoming space for both Taungurung guides and guests to meet up. be themseves, have genuine conversations and celebrate the vibrancy of Taungurung hiving cułture and Country.

To stay up to date with upcoming tourism experiences, please reach out to culturalexperiences@tlawc.com.au