We are sending out the newsletter early this month to give plenty of notice for the many events coming up later in May with Reconciliation Week and National Sorry Day. We are also looking forward to welcoming Travis Lovett’s Walk for Truth, which will arrive at Parliament House on Wednesday 27 May.
ANTaR ACT Organising Group
The next meeting of the ANTaR ACT organising group will be at 6pm on Monday 11 May, in person at the Friends Meeting House, corner of Bent and Condamine Streets, Turner. If you would like to join us and be involved in our ongoing advocacy and actions, please contact us at antaract99@gmail.com or info@antaract.org.au.
We are hoping our technology issues have been solved. It looks like our old email address is working again, but we are keeping the gmail address going as well, just in case! You can contact us via either email address.
ANTaR ACT members attended the Frontier Wars March on Anzac Day, standing and walking in memory of those who died in the Frontier Wars.
Events
Rechelle Turner & Wallabindi | Yuma Yarn
Thursday 21 May, 5.30pm, Canberra Spinners and Weavers, Chifley
Learn the joyful, meditative practice of slow-stitched coiled weaving in a relaxed and conversational environment with wonderful live music.
Wiradjiri artist Rechelle Turner will guide you through the process of stitching and shaping your own coiled piece using raffia. As your hands work, enjoy rich and soulful music by Wallabindi – a Wardandi Bibbulmun Noongar, Yamatji and Burmese singer and songwriter.
For more information and bookings: . https://tuggeranongarts.com/yuma-yarn-2026/.
Sheltering
Saturday 23 to Wednesday 27 May (various performances), Canberra Theatre
Beneath the constellation of Bangarra’s creative and cultural legacy, experience a program of three powerful works: Keeping Grounded, Brown Boys, and Sheoak, which honour Bangarra’s past while looking to the future.
An intergenerational thread connects this bold triple-bill, drawing deeply from First Nations perspectives, and offering a profound journey into the intricate bonds between people and place. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge, the concept of shelter is reimagined as a sacred, transformative space: a haven of protection, connection, and the sharing of stories across generations.
For more information and bookings, see: https://canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/bangarra-sheltering-2026/.
Walk for Truth
Sunday May 24, Tuesday May 26 and Wednesday May 27 (location details below)
Walk for Truth 2026 is a national journey led by Travis Lovett. Everyone is invited to join Lovett, a Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man, former Deputy Chair and Commissioner, Yoorrook Justice Commission and Executive Director of the Centre for Truth Telling and Dialogue, University of Melbourne, for this significant journey. The walk began at Victorian Parliament House, where the first Walk for Truth (2025) concluded, and continues to Parliament House in Canberra, where participants will call for national truth-telling, healing and meaningful change.
There is also an open letter to the Prime Minister to sign – so please do sign to show your support! https://www.walkfortruth.com/pledge.
The walk began on Sunday 19 April and concludes in Canberra on Wednesday 27 May, during National Reconciliation Week. The Canberra sections include (check website for any updates):
- Day 36B: 24 May, 9am to 1pm – Spence Oval to Kaleen Shopping Centre, Georgina Cres.
- Day 36C: 24 May, 1.30pm to 5pm – Kaleen Shopping Centre to Netball ACT, Thurbon Rd, Lyneham
- Day 38A: 26 May, 7.30am to 10am – Netball ACT, Lyneham to Haig Park East
- Day 38B: 26 May, 2pm to 6pm – AIATSIS to Reconciliation Place
- Day 39: 27 May, 8.30am to 11am – Reconciliation Place to Parliament (Federation Mall)
For more information, including how to join the walk, see: www.walkfortruth.com/.
National Sorry Day Gathering
Tuesday 26 May, 10am-1pm, Winnunga Nimmityjah, 63 Boolimba Cres, Narrabundah
Join Winnunga for National Sorry Day to honour Stolen Generation survivors and acknowledge the history of forcible removals and the ongoing impacts.
Unfortunately, this year’s event will not include a Bridge Walk due to construction on Commonwealth Bridge. However, there will be a BBQ lunch, refreshments, a Q&A session with survivors from Kinchela Boys Home, and entertainment throughout the day.
For more information, see: https://healingfoundation.org.au/news-events/events/winnunga-nimmityjah-national-sorry-day-gathering/.
Reconciliation Week
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.
All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.
The theme also reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long.
Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and it will not happen without all of us.
For more information on Reconciliation Week 2026, see: National Reconciliation Week – Reconciliation Australia. Reconciliation Week events in the ACT are listed below.
National Reconciliation Week Tours
Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June, 1pm daily, National Portrait Gallery
Join a free National Reconciliation Week highlights tour. Discover some of the remarkable, resilient and inspirational First Nations peoples on display at the National Portrait Gallery and explore our shared histories, cultures and achievements.
For more information and bookings: https://portrait.gov.au/calendar/national-reconciliation-week-tours.
First Nations Experiences of Democracy
Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June, 2pm daily, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
On this tour you will hear stories of how First Nations Australians have created change in politics. Learn about the Wiradjuri elders who travelled 150km to attend the opening of Old Parliament House. Hear about the activists who campaigned for a voice in Federal Parliament and the accomplishments of Neville Bonner, the first Aboriginal Australian to be elected to parliament. Visit heritage spaces including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Senate Chamber and learn about the contributions of activists like Wenten Rubuntja, Charlie Perkins and Faith Bandler.
For more information and bookings: https://moadoph.ticketing.veevartapp.com/tickets/view/list/first-nations-experiences-of-democracy-national-reconciliation-week and https://www.moadoph.gov.au/visit/whats-on/tours/first-nations-experiences-of-democracy.
National Reconciliation Week event: Voices Across Generations
Thursday 28 May, 9.15am-12.30pm, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway
This year, ACTCOSS is supporting the ACT Reconciliation Council to host a National Reconciliation Week (#NRW 2026) event for people who work in the community sector. The event will include a panel session emphasising cultural safety as the foundation of helping young people thrive into the future. The panel will feature Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and community workers who live and work on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country.
The panel discussion will be followed by cultural activities and lunch together at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre.
For more information and registration, see: https://actcoss.org.au/news-and-events/events-and-training/event/?reset=1&id=246.
2026 Ngunnawal Lecture and Unbroken Whispers
Thursday 28 May, 5-8pm, Ann Harding Conference Centre, University of Canberra
The 2026 Ngunnawal Lecture will centre on honouring three Indigenous Women and their knowledge, leadership, and cultural continuity.
The evening begins with the cultural seminar Unbroken Whispers – The Ripples Connecting Sea Kin, delivered by Associate Professor Jodi Edwards. The seminar explores the interconnectedness of communities, storytelling, Indigenous knowledge systems, and connection to Country and Sea.
The evening will conclude with the Ngunnawal Lecture address from Aunty Marcia Ella‑Duncan OAM, whose experience in community advocacy, sport, cultural knowledge, and leadership will offer meaningful insights for the University and broader community.
Yvonne Mills, will be the master of ceremonies, and draw on her distinguished career in Indigenous affairs and lived experiences to guide discussions on stage.
For more information and reservations (free event): https://events.humanitix.com/2026-ngunnawal-lecture-and-unbroken-whispers.
One Mind, One Heart + Q&A
Thursday 28 May, 7pm, Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, 1 McCoy Ct, Acton
Each day, politicians in Canberra’s Parliament House pass the Yirrkala Bark Petitions, created in 1963 by twelve Yolngu clans using ochre, charcoal and pipeclay. Their message to the Menzies government remains just as relevant today as it was then. The Elders of East Arnhem Land state that their Country, tended for millennia, must never be desecrated by the ambitions of mining interests.
One Mind, One Heart follows First Nations-led practices of shared decision-making and cultural renewal. The film centres on dialogue rather than spectacle as it explores how community, law and care intersect. The film’s strength lies in its patience, allowing voices and process to shape meaning. It brings together director Larissa Behrendt’s legal background with her filmmaking.
Join a Q&A with director Larissa Behrendt and Professor Peter Yu following the screening.
For more information and bookings: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/whats-on/one-mind-one-heart-qanda-4496 .
The Sapphires
Saturday 30 May – Sunday 7 June (various performances), The Playhouse
1969. The Vietnam War. Bombs are dropping and the world is exploding in protest. Back at the Tiki Club in St Kilda, four sisters from country Victoria – Gail, Kay, Cynthia and Julie – catch the eye of a big-city talent scout with their Supremes cover act. But for the MacCrae girls, the realisation of a lifelong dream to perform overseas isn’t quite what they had in mind…
Based on the incredible true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother, The Sapphires chronicles how these fierce and fabulous Yorta Yorta women blazed a trail from their small town roots to the frontlines of Vietnam, belting out Motown hits for the American soldiers and breaking through barriers with every beat.
For more information and bookings, see: https://canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/the-sapphires-2026/.
High Ground + Q&A
Sunday 31 May, 2pm, Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, 1 McCoy Ct, Acton
Set in Arnhem Land following World War I, High Ground follows Travis (Simon Baker) former soldier turned policeman and a young Aboriginal man, Gutjuk (Jacob Junior Nayinggul). They team up to track down Baywara (Sean Mununggurr), a warrior blamed for terrorising white settlements. As the pursuit unfolds, buried atrocities and competing loyalties surface, complicating the idea of justice. Balancing action with moral inquiry, the film interrogates colonial violence and memory through landscape, character and confrontation, offering a tense reckoning with Australia’s frontier history.
Q&A with director Steven Johnson following the screening.
For more information and bookings, see: www.nfsa.gov.au/whats-on/high-ground-qanda-4497.
Reconciliation Day celebration
Monday 1 June, 10am to 3pm, John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes
(near Reconciliation Place and Questacon)
Reconciliation Day is for Canberrans to come together, learn, and take steps toward a fair and inclusive future. Enjoy music, dance, stories and food and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Take part in activities that share truth, knowledge and healing.
ANTaR ACT will have a stall there so please come and say hello – you can find out more about current advocacy and campaigns. We will also have books and items from First Nations peoples for purchase.
For more information, see: www.act.gov.au/community/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/reconciliation-day and, for the full program, www.act.gov.au/community/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/reconciliation-day/reconciliation-day-program.
Exhibitions
** New ** Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre
To Sunday 11 October 2026, Level 1, Exhibition Gallery, National Library of Australia
Papunya is a remote Aboriginal community in the Western Desert region of the Northern Territory, and the birthplace of the internationally known Western Desert art movement. Between 1979 and 1990, the Papunya Literature Production Centre (PLPC) produced hundreds of Pintupi-Luritja bilingual books guided by the community’s Elders, among them pioneers of the Western Desert Art movement. The illustrated books were produced as literacy tools for local schoolchildren and tell stories of first contact, Dreamings, community life, plants, animals and more. Some are funny and wildly creative. Others are moving, dramatic and extraordinary.
‘Wangka Wakaṉutja’ is Pintupi-Luritja for ‘the story has been told’.
The exhibition, Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre, brings the readers to life and builds on a recent exhibition on show at the Library and Archives NT in Darwin. It features stories, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, ephemera and oral histories from the collections of the Papunya community, Papunya School, National Library of Australia, Australian National University, and other private collections.
For more information, see: https://www.library.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/wangka-wakanutja.
Ngura Puḻka – Epic Country
To Sunday 23 August 2026, Level 1, Galleries 2-7, National Gallery of Australia
Ngura Puḻka – Epic Country is an artist-led project, showcasing major works by senior First Nations artists and collectives from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Coober Pedy and Tarntanya/Adelaide, in South Australia. These ambitious works depict Country while celebrating the powerful Tjukurpa (Aṉangu law/cultural stories) that lies within.
An epic project both in scale and scope, the creation of large-scale paintings reinforces artists’ connection to Country. Through stories and distinctive designs, they continue to strengthen their cultural knowledge, and knowledge of their homelands. Individual artists and women’s and men’s collectives bring their Tjukurpa to life on canvas – sometimes through explosions of colour, sometimes in a muted palette.
For more information: https://nga.gov.au/exhibitions/ngura-pulka-epic-country/.
Hermannsberg
To Sunday 23 August 2026, Level 1, Gallery 2B, National Gallery of Australia
Hermannsburg: The Hermannsburg School is an art movement pioneered by Western Arrarnta artist Albert Namatjira (1902–1959). This exhibition displays works by Namatjira, including painted spearthrowers, alongside watercolours by family members including sons Enos and Ewald Namatjira, son-in-law Benjamin Landara, and brother-in-law and ‘breakaway’ painter Otto Pareroultja. Ceramics by Judith Pungarta Inkamala, who grew up watching Namatjira paint, are displayed alongside pots by Carol Panangka Rontji, demonstrating the stylistic evolutions of the Hermannsburg School.
Featured works emphasise artists’ connections to Country and the diversity embedded within this landscape—from airy, tree-lined vistas to red, rocky escarpments and gorges.
For more information: https://nga.gov.au/exhibitions/hermannsburg/.
ANTaR ACT acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which Canberra is situated, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region. We also acknowledge other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may visit this area.