'WET' Exhibition Catalogue

Acknowledgment
I would like to pay my respects and acknowledge the Bedegal people who are the
Custodians of Country, of Elders past, present and emerging on which this
exhibition takes place, and to the Dharawal people on whose lands I had the
privilege to grow up on and live now.
Aboriginal people have occupied the continent for over 65,000 years. Over the
thousands of generations First Nation people have inhabited the Sydney region
they formed family clans and these clans formed nations. Boundaries were often
geographic boundaries and the Georges River formed one such boundary.
To the north of the river were the people who spoke the Dharug language, among
them the Bedegal (Hurstville/Bankstown), to the south of the river were the
people who spoke the Dharawal language.
Spiritual connection to the land is everything to the First Nation people who
inhabit this land; family, plants, animals, sea, land and sky are all Country and as
individuals they too are part of Country. Their role was to care for Country and
they learnt to do so through storytelling, song and sharing of Traditional
Knowledge. 1
1
Aboriginal culture of the Georges River | Georges Riverkeeper 24/10/20
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