There are more than 200 different aboriginal tribes in Australia, each with their own culture, who regard all land and animals as sacred, providing them with sustenance and culturally meaningful rites. They express their ancient culture, customs, and values through their art, be it paintings, sculptures, ceramics, wood carvings, and more. A vast world of Aboriginal culture awaits those who want to venture beyond the country's picturesque beaches and bustling towns. Here's a quick guide.
The country's oldest museum offers personalised guided tours of the First Nations galleries at Sydney's Australian Museum - the Waranara First Nations Tour. The museum houses almost 40,000 Indigenous Australian weaponry, body ornaments, tools, toys, and contemporary art and sculpture from across the country. From tree bark art to modern dot paintings, it's all exhibited here. Find more info here.
Address: 1 William Street, Sydney NSW 2010, Australia
The National Gallery of Australia commemorates the native Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, the traditional custodians of the Canberra region. They have an 'Indigenous Australia' exhibit, which is a presentation of notable works produced by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from the late 1800s to the present. It is one of the museum's most well-known exhibitions. In fact, the National Art Gallery of Australia is said to house the world's greatest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Find more info here.
Address: Parkes Pl E, Parkes ACT 2600, Australia
Launched in 2011, this vibrant centre showcases several local artists who have achieved international acclaim for their work with discarded materials and ghost nets. The Pormpuraaw community has added a new method of representing their totems and culture, that is, by recycling plastic into sculptural works. Through the project, the Pormpuraaw community takes up recycling, creates sculptural works and shows the world the many impacts of plastic waste in oceans. Find out more about them in our story here.
Address: Pormpuraaw Arts & Cultural Centre Incorporated, Pormpuraaw QLD, 4892, Australia
Cooee is Australia's oldest continuously operating Indigenous art gallery, and has been actively promoting Indigenous art in Australia and around the world since 1981. It runs a hybrid art business that promotes and supports artists in an ethical and environmentally conscious manner. Since its founding forty years ago, they have showcased the finest First Nations art through exhibitions and events throughout Australia, Europe, and the Americas.
More info here.
Address: 17 Thurlow Street Redfern NSW 2016 Australia
