Bun Dja

Bun Dja, which means ‘to remember’ in Dhurga, is a powerful exhibition that centres memory, truth-telling and cultural continuity. Anchored by Aunty Julie Freeman’s seminal 1997 work Forget me Nots and expanded through a series of newly commissioned collaborative works, the exhibition reflects on the enduring legacy of the Stolen Generations and the resilience of First Nations communities. Incorporating painting, weaving, possum-skin cloaks, drawing and significant cultural objects, including the former gates of the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children’s Home, Bun Dja transforms the gallery into a space of remembrance, healing and intergenerational dialogue. Rather than treating history as distant or abstract, the exhibition foregrounds lived experience, affirming the enduring connections between family, Country and culture while confronting the ongoing impacts of Australia’s colonial past.

shoalhavenregionalgallery.com.au

Image credit: Aunty Julie Freeman, Forget me Nots, 1997. Courtesy the artist