Weaving Reconciliation through connection to place
Photos by Sarah Naarden and Kate Spencer
The Weaving Three Stories team continued to build connections and intercultural understanding in Fishermans Bend last weekend, with the second workshop in the series a resounding success.
Untold Fishermans Bend stories
Hosted at Port Ed, with the support of Port of Melbourne, the afternoon started with an Acknowledgement of Country and smoking ceremony led by Stephen Thorpe from Sustainative.
Participants were then invited to gather near the waters edge to contemplate the urban landscape in view. Looking across the water to the container cranes in the distance and the factories on the other side of the mouth of the Maribrynong River, we were reminded just how much the natural landscape has been altered since settlement. Perhaps the most significant was the construction of the Coode Canal in the late 1880s, which changed the original course of the Yarra / Birrarung River to become the waterway we overlooked and pushed Aboriginal people out of the area.
Yet moving indoors, we were welcomed to a room filled with culture and connection. Possum skin cloaks, artworks and wisdom of Aboriginal writers held the space. The beautiful centrepiece created by Christina Theodorou, was another reminder that we were gathering on Country.
Sarah Naarden, a regenerative designer and co-founder of the Turruk Yarning Circle program at Initiatives of Change, then set the scene for an afternoon of shared making, grounded in First Peoples’ knowledge and story. Framed by the final week of Australia's first formal truth-telling process, the Yoorrook Justice Commission, and Travis Lovett’s historic 500km walk from Portland to Melbourne, Sarah talked about some of the history of colonisation of Victoria and its ongoing impacts on First Peoples, and the untold stories of Fishermans Bend.
Whilst confronting, it opened our hearts and minds for an experience of deep listening and healing - as we wove our shared histories together.
In the spirit of working together
As a testament to the power of human connection and positive change, Jim Beggs, former Victorian President of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, then joined us to share his experience of working in around the wharves of Melbourne and his partnership with First Nations people . The 92 year old started by sharing he felt like he was back in his “spiritual home”. He also talked about his role through the Union and his work with Initiatives of Change in supporting First Nations communities. He reflected on his long-standing collaboration with Margaret Tucker, and many others. As he reflected, if we want to see the world differently, we decide to choose love not hate, reunion not division.
He shared the words of Margaret Tucker: “It’s not colour but character that matters.”
Moved and inspired, we then set about the next chapter in our weaving. Bianca Easton, a Boon Wurrung cultural educator and creative facilitator, then explained the weaving task of the day. We each choose our colour combination from the bundles of bright coloured rafia, and set forth to make bracelets, keychains and earrings. As Bianca wandered calmly around the room providing instruction and support where required, conversations started and connections continued to grow. It was great to see some smaller hands weaving this time - intergenerational learning and storytelling at it’s best!
A circle for forgiveness, healing and grace
As the afternoon drew to close, Merilyn “Merm” Duff joined the circle to share her story - a journey of trauma, healing and renewal. Proudly wearing her possum skin cloak, she spoke about the beauty of weaving and yarning circles like this for healing and hope - a place for reconciliation, for relationships to be formed, for relationships to heal. As she said: “Sharing my story is like passing the baton to others, an invitation to share their story, to be empowered and stand strong, without shame of the past.”
The day ended with a flurry of activity to finish our weaving creations - and clean up the space. I was very proud of my new woven earrings, but it was the raffia in the middle of the room that spoke as a metaphor for the experience - what started as individual bundles of raffia, become a woven tapestry of colour and connection.
Join us next time!
This event, supported by FB IDEAs and Initiatives of Change Australia, was the second in a three-part series. Each workshop is being documented by filmmaker Michael Woods of Pacific Studio, with a short film set to premiere later this year at a special Melbourne event—extending the dialogue beyond the workshops.
Each gathering builds on the last deepening connection, amplifying story, and strengthening the threads of community. All are welcome to join the circle.
The final workshop on Saturday 26 July will be held at the Circular Design Collective and will thread together intercultural stories of regenerative and ancient futures at the Fishermans Bend Circular Collective. Led by First Nations urban culturalists, we will explore circular design in context to Caring for Country in an urban context with Indigenous generational perspectives and reciprocal connection. Stevie Thorpe, GunaiKurnai Gundjitmara, Yorta Yorta, Palawan man, founding director of Sustainative joins us as a keynote speaker. Participants will be guided by Boon Wurrung weaver Bianca Easton in creating an emu feather artefact. Pathways will be shared around balancing natural systems over extraction and material flows with cultural regeneration.
Limited tickets are still available so get in quick to part of the next chapter in weaving stories and connection in Fishermans Bend.
