How we recognise the past, live the present, and move into the future determines our opportunities and failures and this year’s National Reconciliation Week (NRW) theme, ‘Bridging Now to Next’ reflects those opportunities for all Australians.
‘Bridging Now to Next’, invites all Australians to reflect on the past, engage with the present, and work together to shape a reconciled future. It calls us to build stronger connections and push forward, together. And Tweed Shire Council (TSC) are celebrating Reconcilaiton Week, Tuesday, 27 May to Tuesday, 3 June, with a week of exhibitions, cultural activities and community events.
‘This year’s theme, Bridging Now to Next, is a timely reminder that reconciliation isn’t just about remembering the past – it’s about taking meaningful steps forward together to create stronger community bonds,’ said Naomi Searle, Director Sustainable Communities and Environment at TSC.
‘Council remains committed to walking alongside our First Nations communities, listening, learning, and embedding reconciliation into everything we do. We proudly build on the strong foundation of trust and open communication established by our Aboriginal Advisory Committee over the past 30 years, and we thank them for their continued generosity in sharing cultural knowledge for the benefit of our entire community.’
National Reconciliation Week community events
Council will be proudly supporting two major community-led events during NRW:
Minjungbal Museum & Cultural Centre will hold a community event on Tuesday 27 May—hosted by the Tweed Aboriginal Co-operative Society. Experience a cultural walk through the Museum’s surrounds, yarning circles, a bush tucker demonstration, weaving workshops and more!
Now a beloved staple of the NRW calendar, The Family Centre’s Walk on Country is also back on Sunday 1 June. Hear stories via a guided cultural walk, experience cultural performances, children’s activities, native plant giveaways and a community sausage sizzle.
Events at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
The Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is presenting 2 compelling exhibitions by First Nations artists during NRW:
Breast Plates by Bundjalung and Yugambeh Nation artist Luther Cora is a photographic series that delves into the intricate layers of history, culture, and colonisation impacting Australian Aboriginal peoples.
Gunimaa–Source by Debbie Taylor-Worley and Sophie Taylor, mother and daughter artists from strong matriarchal Gamilaraay/European heritage, is a joint exhibition which visually expresses the source of their feminine power through a cultural lens.
Events at Tweed Regional Museum
The Land | Life | Culture display continues to highlight the enduring connection of the Tweed Bundjalung people to place. New this year is the interactive Place Names Database, sharing the Aboriginal names and stories of key locations throughout the region.
The Museum’s colourful Museum on Wheels (MoW) will bring these stories to life across the Tweed – visiting the Minjungbal Museum & Cultural Centre from Tuesday 27 May to Friday 30 May and travelling to the Walk on Country event in Kingscliff on Saturday 1 June.
Events at Tweed libraries
Tweed libraries will also mark the week with special displays at each branch, featuring works by First Nations authors, artists and storytellers, alongside books from the library’s Indigenous Collection.
Image courtesy the artist © The artist (Breast Plates by Luther Cora is on now at Tweed Regional Gallery). Photo supplied
About National Reconciliation Week (NRW)
NRW is held every year from 27 May to 3 June, commemorating two significant milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey: the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo decision. These dates encourage all Australians to learn more about our shared histories and contribute to a future built on truth telling and respectful relationships between the wider community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Event list and further information
Community Day
Tuesday 27 May
10 am – 1 pm
Minjungbal Museum & Cultural Centre
17 Kirkwood Rd, Tweed Heads South
Walk on Country
Sunday 1 June
10 am – 12 pm
Kingscliff foreshore
Starts 10 am at Cudgen Creek – Ed Rotary Park Kingscliff
Walk concludes at Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club
Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
Breast Plates by Luther Cora exhibition Exhibition open until 28 September
Gunimaa-Source by Debbie Taylor-Worley and Sophie Taylor Exhibition open until 10 August
2 Mistral Rd, South Murwillumbah
More info, visit gallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions
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