Parkes Promotes Peace

Parkes recently welcomed a very special group of visitors. Five indigenous Ameri­cans from the Sioux (Lakota, Dakota, Na­kota) nation in South Dakota, visited as part of a Rotary Group Study (Cultural) Ex­change. The visitors were from the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires).

The purpose of their visit was to observe and study another indigenous culture (the Wiradjuri nation) to examine and under­stand how they were maintaining culture while progressing in the wider community.

A tour of the Rotary Peace Park at the base of Memorial Hill was to highlight a success­ful example of a collaboration between Rotary and Wiradjuri and non-indigenous artists, promoting peace and reconciliation.

The group was welcomed by Parkes Mayor, Neil Westcott and the President of Parkes Rotary, Graeme Hunter. Wiradjuri artist and Chair of the Parkes Aboriginal Community Working Party, Irene Ridgeway, Parkes Wiradjuri Language Group Presi­dent Geoff Anderson, Everlien Gardner TAFE teacher of Wiradjuri cultural studies and Sean James Cassidy, artist and design­er of the park, guided the visitors through the landscape, explaining the significance of the natural forms and the art works.

The visitors found the park “very intrigu­ing and a special place.” Carved instal­lations with Wiradjuri iconography were the first art works the visitors had seen in Australia. They were very interested to see language represented within the art works.

They felt that the local Wiradjuri culture was being woven into the wider community which was a different situation from their own.

Parkes Wiradjuri elder Robert Clegg stated, “Bringing people together from dif­ferent cultures starts a conversation, show­ing each other respect, develops trust.

Following on from the great success of the Australian Philippines Friendship mural, this recent visit by members of the Dakota Sioux nation helps to show that Parkes is able to lead the way towards a more ac­cepting and peaceful future.”