Yesterday, as part of NAIDOC Week, Wandana group conducted an Indigenous cultural tour for our Sydney office. Participating in the cultural immersion program, the team were involved in a unique and authentic learning experience.
The program explored history, culture, art and music through traditional activities, including the creation of a company painting.
The Donald Cant Watts Corke (DCWC) painting is a modern, contemporary Aboriginal painting that also pays homage to the local Cadigal Aboriginal people of Eora nation.
At the Centre of the painting are the red concentric circles which are traditional Aboriginal symbols for a meeting place. So they represent the local Cardinal Aboriginal people as well as symbolizing the DCWC company which was established in 1966. The color is red to represent the deep connection to the land for Aboriginal people. The white dots around the meeting place are the Aboriginal ancestors of the past. Surrounding the meeting place are the U shapes which represent the local Aboriginal Elders as well as the DCWC leaders.
Flowing out from the central meeting place to link with eight meeting places represent the eight offices of DCWC. The dots along these pathways connecting the central meeting place to other areas are the tracks of Aboriginal people and also represent the clients of DCWC. Within the painting can be seen traditional Aboriginal tools including a stone axe, digging stick, boomerangs and assorted grasses all used as building tools over thousands of years.
Thank you to Wandana for holding this insightful and enjoyable program.