For the first time, audiences in Hanoi will have the opportunity to experience a remarkable space illuminated by magical lights in a three-dimensional spatial arrangement known as Walking Through a Songline. This remarkable event will provide viewers with an unforgettable, captivating experience that they won’t be able to find anywhere else.
| The poster of the light-projecting installation titled Walking Through a Songline |
After being met with great enthusiasm in Ho Chi Minh City, this immersive light projection installation – hosted by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam – will be available for the public to enjoy at the Vietnam Women’s Museum in Hanoi until May 21.
According to Andrew Goledzinowski, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, this is the latest exhibition hosted by the Australian Embassy to introduce Vietnamese audiences to Australia’s unique and vibrant First Nations cultures. This exhibition is a part of the program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam in 2023, and will provide a great opportunity for the Vietnamese public to gain a better understanding of Australia’s rich cultural heritage. Through this event, the Australian Embassy aims to foster deeper connections between the two nations and celebrate their long-standing friendship.
“One of the roles of the Australian Government is to spread the stories of Australia to the world. This includes the unique knowledge and stories of Australia’s First People. By bringing Walking Through a Songline to our friends in Vietnam, we are furthering the sharing of these stories,” he said.
“This digital exhibition transports you to a different time and place: 65,000 years ago in Australia. It offers a glimpse into the unique and complex culture of the Australian Aborigines. We recently opened the exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City for a month, and it has been met with much enthusiasm from the Vietnamese people. I’m delighted,” he told The Hanoi Times.
| The ribbon cutting ceremony of the exhibition in the Vietnamese Women’s Museum on April 27. Photo: JD |
The Australian Embassy is committed to promoting the well-being of ethnic minorities in Vietnam through a range of activities. These activities include providing support for tourism initiatives and cultural preservation efforts. With this support, ethnic minorities are able to preserve their cultural values and share them with international guests, thereby providing a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage. “We believe that by supporting these initiatives, we are helping to create a more prosperous future for the people of Vietnam,” said the Australian Ambassador.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet, the Director of the Vietnam Women’s Museum, which is co-hosting the exhibition in Hanoi, declared at the opening ceremony on April 17th that “Walking Through a Songline” offers a comprehensive look into Australia’s cultural and historical stories through a captivating digital display.
“This will be an excellent gift for the people of the capital,” she declared.
The Australian Government is committed to upholding and elevating the rich culture and heritage of First Nations peoples in Australia and around the world. This is evident in the Walking Through a Songline Tour, a touring version of the National Museum of Australia’s (NMA) acclaimed exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters. This exhibition showcases the stories and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, giving them a platform to share their history and traditions with a global audience.
| Andrew Goledzinowski, Australia Ambassador to Vietnam, delivered a speech at the event. Photo: JD |
This exhibition follows the trail of the Seven Sisters Dreaming, as they journey across Australia’s western and central deserts, pursued by a male pursuer. The songlines that they create mark pathways of knowledge about Indigenous cultural values and how to sustainably survive on this continent, a practice that Australia’s First Nations people have been engaging in for millennia. By bringing together stories from artists, custodians, and traditional owners, this exhibition forms the foundational history of Australia.
The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm from April 28 to May 21, at No. 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Don’t miss your chance to visit this incredible exhibition!
An explanatory video about the exhibition Walking Through a Songline with Margo Neale, Senior Indigenous Curator and Head of Indigenous Knowledge at the National Museum, is available at www.facebook.com/AustralianEmbassyVietnam. Get an insightful look into the exhibition and its curator by watching the video!
