"Under the Law of Tanderrum, our Ancestors welcomed visitors, sometimes using message sticks. It was like giving them a visa. Visitors were invited to corroborees, they were looked after. Our Ancestors helped them to understand the land on which they were visiting, and spelt out the Law of exchange and trade.
Under the Law of Tanderrum, it was understood that after your time here, you would soon return to your own homeland.
For Batman, he didn't see himself as a visitor. He believed that with some small gifts, some blankets, some bags of flour, some scissors, a couple of mirrors, he could purchase all this land, the land that we now call Melbourne."
Jirra Lulla, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjun. from Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum, First Peoples exhibition.
This project began with a visit to the State Library of Victoria, followed by walks with Meyer Eidelson learning about the Indigenous culture, customs and historical encounters local to the Merri Creek.
Students were then invited to think of a place, significant to them, and create an object related to the size of their hand, that would offer another person time in that place.
The sticks were made in white clay with etched motifs known to the maker that told the story of that place.
Each fired piece was suspended so that en masse a shape that echoed the planet grew.