On Tuesday 12th April a group gathered at the site of the Dhurga Rock in Ryrie Park to celebrate the installation of a special bench and plaque, marking the official completion of the Dhurga Rock Project. This Project publicly acknowledges the First People of the Braidwood area, and was initiated and implemented by the Two Fires Festival Committee, with considerable community support.
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The bench and plaque were installed by our local Council, and the Two Fires Festival Committee is grateful to Paul Cockram and Palerang Council for helping us complete the Dhurga Rock Project so successfully.
Very special thanks go to the Council workers in our local Depot, for designing and creating the beautiful bench and complimentary plinth for the plaque. The bench is a large log of recycled bridge timber, worked into an elegant and comfortable seat, which has already received much praise and admiration. Well worth a visit and a sit!
We were delighted to have Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison, an Elder of the Yuin people and mentor for the Two Fires Festivals in Braidwood, join us on Tuesday to perform a special smoking ceremony and blessing, encompassing the bench, the plaque, the Rock, and all the people present. It was an honour to witness Uncle Max’s dedication to this sacred work.
The Dhurga Rock is intended to promote healing of past dislocation and trauma among Aboriginal families with ancestral links to the Braidwood area.
It is also intended to promote education in the broader community about the long and rich Aboriginal history and culture relating to our area.
Long may its legacy endure…
There are ideas and plans for the Rock to be the focus of ongoing community activities, including with the local schools and all young people here, over the coming months. Especially in the lead-up to the 2017 Two Fires Festival, to be held from Friday 12th May to Sunday 14th May next year. (Watch this space!)