WOKA, the Yorta Yorta word for country, is more than a place on a map, but a deeper spiritual connection the local Indigenous community has to land, rivers, and skies of the Yorta Yorta people. Nyini Woka (My Place) is a new exhibition from Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) that explores the dialogue that emerges between broader First Nations perspectives and Yorta Yorta stories of woka.
Featuring artworks from the Carrillo and Ziyin Gantner Collection of Australian Indigenous Art and recent works by contemporary Yorta Yorta artists, Nyini Woka (My Place) is co-curated by Belinda Briggs, SAM Curator – Indigenous, and Chloe Jones, Kaiela Arts curator and gallery manager.
“It’s an honour to bring First Nations works from the Carrillo and Ziyin Gantner Collection of Australian Indigenous Art into conversation with local Yorta Yorta voices on Yorta Yorta Woka,” said Chole.
“Nyini Woka (My Place) gathers many stories from across the continent and offers a moment to slow down, to think about where we belong, what grounds us, and how place shapes who we are. The exhibition invites everyone to recognise themselves within these stories and to reflect on how we care for place, for one another, and for the responsibilities we carry together. It asks a simple but timeless question: what does it mean to find your place, and to hold it with others?”
Exhibiting artists include Albert Namatjira (Western Arrernte), Vincent Namatjira OAM (Western Arrernte), Lyn Thorpe (Yorta Yorta), Cynthia Hardie (Yorta Yorta) and Danie Mellor (Ndgadjon, Mamu), with works spanning form and material, from bark paintings to photography and ceramics. SAM invites the community to celebrate the opening of this major exhibition with them on Saturday, March 21, at their seasonal opening event – details and registrations can be found on the SAM website. Nyini Woka (My Place) will be on display at SAM until May 3, with free entry.
