A big crowd was on hand for the official opening of the Dabee – Mudgee Stories Travelling Exhibition at the Kandos Returned Services and Community Club, the first indigenous exhibition of its kind in this region.
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The exhibition, put together by North East Wiradjuri Co and Kandos Historical Society, tells the story of change European settlement brought to the Aboriginal people.
Through 10 display panels and a number of other artefacts including a facsimile of Jimmy Lambert’s breastplate and Peggy Lambert’s Queen sash, the last identified apical ancestors of the Dabee people of the Kandos area.
The exhibition was officially opened by Djon Mundine OAM, an Aboriginal curator, writer, artist, and activist, and member of the Bundjalung people of Northern NSW.
He said the display is an opportunity “to see your own history there in the Dabee-Mudgee Stories Exhibition”.
“I hope you enjoy the exhibition and get a lot out of it, I know I got a lot out of it in the time I got to see it.”
“You have to remember that all Aboriginal stories are your stories, both criminal and victim are related and are connected forever, for better or worse, that’s how history happens,” he said.
Mr Mundine added that he was heartened by the crowd that turned out for the occasion.
“Thank you for coming and affirming my faith in other human beings,” he said.
“I hope you enjoy the exhibition and get a lot out of it, I know I got a lot out of it in the time I got to see it.”
This was a return to Kandos for Mr Mundine who painted the mural A Man – A Woman, which was original photographs of King Jimmy and Queen Peggy Lambert, at the Kandos Museum as part of the 2015 Cementa Arts Festival in April.
Curator Colin Jones of the Kandos Historical Society said, “the hardest things about museum exhibitions is where to start and where to finish, not what to put in it because we’ve been so well supported with the supply of information, the biggest difficulty is what to leave out”.
He added that because it’s a travelling exhibition it will reach a much broader market and it’s open to any institution that wants it.
“This exhibition is unique in that it’s the only one of its type that I know of in the Western area and I think a travelling exhibition will reach more people and have a greater impact on the region, and we’re looking into funding it to travelling it throughout Australia,” he said.
The exhibition was funded initially by a native title agreement with Moolarben Coal which includes an amount designated for cultural activities and subsequently by dollar-for-dollar funding from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
The exhibition will remain on display at the Kandos Returned Services and Community Club in Dangar Street, Kandos, for several more weeks.
