What do animals represent in your life? For First Peoples in South East Australia, animals have importance in recognising identity and culture and are essential to their everyday actions: Creation stories, Songlines and Ceremony.
A new exhibition at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Spirit of the Animals features a range of creatures such as mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, vertebrates, invertebrates and even insects. The exhibition includes representation of animals through a range of 2D and 3D works; paintings, animation, drawings, sculpture, tools, cultural belongings and adornment.
There are close to 50 works in the exhibition, from the Koorie Heritage Trust’s unique collection.

Collection of Koorie Heritage Trust, donated 2024 Photo: Christian Capurro
The exhibition features artworks and cultural belongings by: Albert & Richard Mullett (Gunai/Gunai, Monero Ngarigo); Brook Andrew (Wiradjuri); Glenda Nicholls (Waddi Waddi, Yorta Yorta, Ngarrindjeri); Lin Onus (Yorta Yorta); Peter and Alex Mongta (Monero); Len Tregonning (Gunai/Kurnai); Peter Waples-Crowe (Ngarigo); Trevor Brown (Latji Latji), Tommy McRae (Kwatkwat); Vera Cooper (Yorta Yorta); Aunty Zeta Thomson (Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri), and more
‘In my tribe’ says Peter Waples-Crowe (Ngarigo) ‘is about belonging and features a motif I use a lot in my art, the dingo. I see the dingo as self and its spirit is always with me. An underdog since 1788 I honour this outsider native and ask are you in my tribe?’

Collection of Koorie Heritage Trust, acquisitioned 1994 Photo: Graham Baring
The exhibition will showcase animal motifs in the art and design of South East First Peoples including recent artworks, objects and cultural belongings.
Spirit of the Animals highlights work that demonstrate the importance, roles and uses of animals for Victorian First Peoples. In placing First Peoples’ lifestyle and connection to place, animals are of huge importance in recognising identity and cultural strengthening in the context of storylines and ceremony, starting with depictions of Bunjil the eagle: an overall Creator being for many First Peoples in Victoria.
Spirit of the Animals opens Saturday 27 July until Sunday 24 November 2024 at the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT), Birrarung Building, Fed Square. www.koorieheritagetrust.com.au