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First Nations Truth Telling Session 2022


First Nations

8 Victoria Rd Parramatta

In April 2022, Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE) hosted a powerful Truth Telling Session between The National Committee of the Friends of Myall Creek and Dharug Knowledge Holders.

This moving discussion centres around the Myall Creek Massacre and frontier violence in the Parramatta area and offers so many lessons about collective action to recognise these histories.

The panel featured voices from the Dharug community: Julie Clarke Jones Webb, Chris Tobin, and Lesley Woodhouse. Alongside members of the Myall Creek Committee: Keith Munro, Cecilia Blackwell, Adele Chapman Burgess, Fabri Blacklock, Jolea Isaacs, Marilyn Isaacs, Kelvin Brown, and Carmen Southwell. This panel was generously facilitated by Bidjara and Iman lawyer and designer Ruby Langton-Batty. This panel was part of the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, rīvus, and sponsored by Cultural Perspectives Group and the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.

The Truth Telling Session 2022 is available to watch below.

What is the Myall Creek Massacre?

The Myall Creek Massacre of 1838 was a tragic event that occurred in New South Wales, Australia, where a group of white settlers brutally killed 28 unarmed Wirrayaraay people, including women and children.

The massacre was premeditated and carried out in a brutal manner. This incident was significant as it marked a turning point in the treatment of Indigenous Australians by white settlers.

Prior to this event, violence against Indigenous people was considered acceptable and often went unpunished.

The Myall Creek massacre caused public outrage and led to the prosecution of the perpetrators. Seven of the settlers involved were found guilty of murder and hanged, making it the first time in Australian history that white people were convicted and punished for the murder of Indigenous Australians.

For more information on the Myall Creek Massacre, visit www.myallcreek.org

Who are the Myall Creek Committee?

The National Committee of the Friends of Myall Creek was founded in 1998 to raise awareness of the Myall Creek Massacre, and has been memorialising the tragic events of 1838 since the year 2000.

The Committee has worked tirelessly to establish a memorial site for the Massacre, organising an annual weekend of mourning and commemoration on these grounds.

The Committee continues its work to teach, share, and spread truth for the betterment of First Nations peoples in Australia today.

Today, the Committee is made up of over 20 members of both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous heritage.

To find out more about the members who participated in rivus visit the Biennale of Sydney website.

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