Creating First Peoples with community

We have waited so long for this story to be told with truth and respect. Sharing knowledge and family connection keeps you going. Titta Secombe

The development of the First Peoples exhibition at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre has been a rich collaboration between Museums Victoria and a wide range of Koorie community members across Victoria and Indigenous community members across Australia. It represents the birth of a new era where Aboriginal peoples and museum staff are working together to interpret the collections and reveal unique stories and knowledge.

A key factor in this partnership has been the creation and the guidance of the First Peoples Yulendj Group of Elders and community representatives. Yulendj is a word from the Kulin language family meaning 'knowledge' and this group have brought their knowledge, stories, culture, objects and images to help the museum bring together this exhibition.

"Yulendj is a pretty special group of people, Traditional Owners, with a lot of knowledge and understanding of who they are as individuals and who we are as a group. I’m getting as much out of being a part of Yulendj as what I’m bringing. There’s a strong relationship now, and that’s based on museum staff showing respect to Yulendj members, and Yulendj members imparting knowledge back to museum staff here. I think it’s unique. It’s setting a new standard." – Brendan Kennedy

Yulendj is more than an advisory group – members collaborated with curatorial staff so that the First Peoples exhibition accords with both Aboriginal 'Law and knowledge' systems and western knowledge systems. As Bangerang Elder Sandy Atkinson says: we are the experts of our culture; we are the leaders of our future.

The Yulendj Group shared knowledge and advice across the project team from curatorial and design to conservation and public programs. The collaborative model is providing many long-term benefits for all including: improved community access to collections; improved research and identification of collections; knowledge and skills exchange between staff and community; and, the exciting exhibition, First Peoples. As Boon Wurrung Elder Carolyn Briggs says: we are creating a new narrative and creating a legacy.

The First Peoples Yulendj Group was facilitated by Melbourne Museum staff members Caroline Martin (Chair), Manager of Bunjilaka; Genevieve Grieves, Lead Curator of First Peoples; Vicki Couzens, Senior Researcher, Language and Culture; and Jen Mattiuzzo, Lead Operator.