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Gab Titui Cultural Centre Ten Year Anniversary

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Gab Titui Cultural Centre Ten Year Anniversary Gab Titui Cultural Centre Ten Year Anniversary 2004 – 2014 Commemorative Booklet Celebrating 10 Years of Gab Titui Cultural Centre For years the communities of the Torres Strait dreamed of a place where our unique cultural heritage and identities could be maintained and shared with generations of our people. Foreword In 2004, after more than twenty years their crucial support in establishing their ongoing funding support, the of advocacy by dedicated Torres Strait Gab Titui as a successful institution. National Museum of Australia and Islanders and supporters, the Gab of course the staff of the Gab Titui Titui Cultural Centre finally opened Since 2004, the Gab Titui Cultural Cultural Centre both past and present its doors with the aim to enhance Centre has had the privilege to for their tireless efforts and dedication and promote Torres Strait cultural, work together with artists and to the promotion of our region. social and economic revitalisation and community members from across the development of contemporary the Torres Strait and Northern We look forward to continuing artistic practice across the region. Peninsula Area, mainland Torres to work closely with communities, Strait Islander artists and key partner partner organisations and all levels I pay respect and give acknowledgement organisations, who have provided of government into the future to build on particularly to the late Adhi Ephraim vital support to the Centre’s growth. the many successes of the last ten years. Bani whose passion and vision for a keeping place in the Torres This booklet is a celebration of what Joseph Elu Strait was fundamental to Gab we have achieved in this time, and Chairman Titui’s establishment and who the talent, diversity and passion that Torres Strait Regional Authority sadly passed away before seeing exists within our communities to his dream fully realised. maintain and develop our unique culture and contemporary art practice. I would also like to acknowledge Mr Victor McGrath, a strong advocate On behalf of the Torres Strait Regional and former manager of the Centre Authority I would like to thank the as well as Ms Leilani Bin Juda, the artists, craftspeople and members of the National Museum of Australia, Australian wider community who have supported Museum and members of the Gab the Centre, the Australia Council for Titui Steering Committee and staff for the Arts, and Arts Queensland for 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Introduction Gab Titui The Gab Titui Cultural Centre sits on In 2002 a Steering Committee was the land of the Kaurareg nation, the formed to guide Gab Titui’s development traditional owners of the Kaiwalagal and in April 2004, doors opened to the region (Inner Islands) of the Torres community for the first time. Strait. The central focus of the Centre is to contribute to the maintenance, The Gab Titui Cultural Centre is operated revitalisation and preservation of Torres by the Torres Strait Regional Authority Strait Islander and Aboriginal culture (TSRA) and guided by its Board of and to the development and promotion Indigenous members representing of local Indigenous art. 20 communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area. The Centre Gab Titui’s establishment in 2004 supports artists from across the region was the result of over twenty years through a range of arts development of interest by the local community and cultural maintenance initiatives and others in the creation of a keeping and as an outlet for the sale and place to house and share historical and promotion of artists’ work. cultural material in the Torres Strait. The cultural centre was envisaged as a The name Gab Titui was recommended place not only to engage with materials by the late Mr Ephraim Bani, linguist, from the past, but also as a venue to cultural advisor and one of the key foster contemporary artistic production visionaries for the creation of the and the promotion of the living Ailan cultural centre. Extensive community Kastom of the Torres Strait. consultation and research ensured that the name would represent both eastern In 2000, seed funding of $1,000,000 and western language groups of the through the Queensland Heritage Trails Torres Strait. The words Gab, interpreted Network provided a catalyst for the as journey in Meriam Mir, the language cultural centre’s establishment, of the Eastern Islands, and Titui meaning together with combined resources stars in Kala Lagaw Ya, the language of from the TSRA, Commonwealth and the Western Islands, combine to form State Governments. Gab Titui – Journey by the Stars. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Celebrating 10 Years of Gab Titui Cultural Centre 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Gab Titui logo artist insight Andrew Matatia Warrior I believe very strongly in cultural preservation The Warup (traditional drum) is often used in and have spent a lot of my own personal time my work as my own personal symbol for the researching the culture, traditions and history passing of knowledge. How when it is struck at of our people. Being an artist, I have come one end, the sound resonates out the other in up with my own symbolic representations of the same way that when one speaks, another designs and objects and this is what enabled listens. This is what the Gab Titui Cultural me to create this design. Centre represents. The chosen design was in fact the very The star of course represents our five regions first idea I came up with. The Dthoeri / Dari – northwest, mid-west, low west, central and (traditional headdress) is an artefact that is eastern – and our unity today as Torres Strait distinct only to the Islands of the Torres Strait Islanders. In the past, there were only a few and its specific design is found in no other alliances between the Islands and we generally culture throughout the world. It is because only communicated in trade, for marriages or of this that it is used here as a symbol of warfare. The positioning of the star in the centre our people. The particular headdress of this of the Warup also serves great purpose. It is that design has two different sides to represent this centre is a place where our people stand the traditional (on left) and modern (on right) united in our fight for cultural preservation; societies of the Torres Strait. where our knowledge may be maintained for following generations to walk the paths The “v-cut” ends of the feathers, which of our traditions with cultural identity. traditionally stand for fishtails, are also used here as hazards to symbolise the “rough” I am incredibly honoured that this design that life or hardship experienced by our people in I created was selected as the logo for such a traditional Torres Strait society and during centre. I do believe very strongly in cultural the early stages of foreign colonisation. preservation and hope that our following The smooth outer edge of the stylised side generation acknowledge our traditional ways. represent how in this modern society, The incredible influence of new and foreign we have a much “smoother” or easier societies that impact on the indigenous youths lifestyle in comparison to our forefathers. of our generation today is the greatest obstacle for our cultural survival. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Celebrating 10 Years of Gab Titui Cultural Centre 2004 The Gab Titui Cultural Centre opened to the public in April 2004, amid three days of celebrations that showcased the vibrant cultural diversity and rich talent inherent in the Torres Strait. Highlights Official opening celebrations – 16 April 2004 - including exhibition of cultural artefacts on loan from the Australian Museum Gelam Nguzu Kazi: Dugong My Son – exhibition of works by Mualgau Mineral Artists’ Collective Gift of Presence – The Spirit of Reconciliation touring exhibition and workshops from the State Library of Queensland Glen Douglas Mackie, artist-in-residence exhibition Meriba Pikial: Our Dreaming – exhibition of works by Thursday Island TAFE Certificate IV in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art graduates Thursday Island State High School and Torres Strait Islander artists’ collective art exhibition Urapun, Muinu Garasar One, In Many – Billy Missi solo exhibition Clockwise from top: 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Sania Mabo, Warren Entsch MP, Petharie Bani and Anna Bligh officially open the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. Tharna Fire Dancers perform at Gab Titui’s official opening. Traditional song at the blessing of Gab Titui. Petharie Bani reveals the Ephraim Bani Commemorative Plaque. Photos: George Serras, National Museum of Australia. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Celebrating 10 Years of Gab Titui Cultural Centre 2005 In 2005 Gab Titui celebrated the first anniversary of its opening, with a week-long writers’ festival as well as an exhibition of photographs from the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology 19th Century Haddon collection. After just one year of operation Gab Titui was honoured to receive the Queensland Tourism Award for Indigenous Tourism for the first time. Highlights First birthday celebrations: rewind / FORWARD Margot - Writers’ Festival Douglas exhibition, featuring - Haddon photographic exhibition jewellery workshops and artist talk with Margot Douglas Caring for our Coasts, Respecting Sea Country art Stanley Laifoo solo exhibition competition and display Travelling Suitcase Kit FNQ Souvenir exhibition, exhibition (on tour from the featuring Stanley Laifoo National Gallery of Australia) Clay sculpture workshop Landscape drawing and with Rowena Buchanan painting workshop Traditional language seminars Selected works by Leo Akee Business and Visual Arts and Crafts Forum Gab Titui wins first Queensland Tourism Award for Indigenous Tourism 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Clockwise from top left: Leilani Bin Juda, Simona Barkus, Rosaline Fujii, Victor McGrath and Frank David with Gab Titui’s first Queensland Tourism Award for Indigenous Tourism. Ina Titasey and Cessa Nakata with a visitor at Gab Titui’s first birthday celebrations.
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