A secure and community-owned place where Aboriginal artefacts can be returned to country and people can learn more about Indigenous culture.
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That’s the vision for the keeping place that’s being developed at the Tamworth Regional Botanic Garden.
Helpers have been “breathing a bit of life back into” an underused building at the entrance to the venue, recently opening it as a small cultural centre and cafe.
One of the volunteers, Len Waters, said many of the items had been found when the local attraction was being built; others were donated after being found, handed down or purchased.
He said it was important to have a safe, appropriate place for them, preferably on the country they came from.
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“It’s not just a case of taking them back out into the bush and dumping them, because somebody else will come along and find it, and then the cycle starts all over again,” he said.
“A lot of people who are now becoming elderly have donated artefacts they’ve had in their possession for a long time back to this place.
“Before this place, they weren’t very keen to [entrust them to others], because they wanted them looked after – but this is being seen as a community thing; the artefacts in here belong to the people ...
“We should be putting things on display and using them as an educational tool, so people can learn about how the Kamilaroi people crafted boomerangs, or made spears, or sourced different rocks for axes or chisels or cutting implements or sharpening stones.”
Clues to culture
Mr Waters said much could be learnt by viewing items used in the past, such as Indigenous peoples’ resilience and resourcefulness.
“Nothing was ever wasted ... everything they used or made was sustainably sourced,” he said.
“They wouldn’t cut a tree down to make just one boomerang.
“They would have particular trees that would be sourced for making tools and weapons, and that tree would continue to live.”
Staffed by volunteers, the cafe and keeping place will be open weekends between about 9am and 3pm, depending on the flow of visitors, and by appointment.
Mr Waters said the team was thinking of adding traditional foods to the menu, such as jams and breads, and maybe even meats such as kangaroo and emu.
“Everything’s about giving people a bit more insight into Kamilaroi people and Aboriginal culture, because I think people are really ready for that.”