First Nations

The Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our museums are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.

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Stories

Blak Powerhouse 2023

Powerhouse x We Are Warriors
A woman stands on stage in front of a large audience. She has her left hand raised in the air and a microphone in her right hand. The audience are holding their phones up recording the woman.
Stories
Blak Powerhouse 2023

We Are Warriors is an Indigenous social enterprise dedicated to celebrating Blak excellence and empowering Indigenous youth. On 26 January, one of the most polarising days of the year, We Are Warriors took over Powerhouse Ultimo for Blak Powerhouse: We Are Warriors, taking back a day of sorrow and turning it into a day of power and positivity.

A man leaning forward and resting his right arm on his right knee. He is on stage for a performance and is holding a microphone in his right hand.
‘Creating this movement on this day for me, it gave it a new life … It has a new meaning now – it’s a day we get together and celebrate our greatness now.’
Nooky
A group of First Nations performers in traditional dress, mid dance. They are outside with an audience watching them.
‘The whole thing with We Are Warriors is ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ And to see what a young blakfulla from Nowra has put on today – that’s what the kids are going to look up to and it shows them they can do whatever they want to do.’
Kobie Dee
A medal featuring engraved images of colonists hoisting a British flag. A large ship is in the background.
1/4
Medal commemorating Australian Bicentenary Settlement
Object No. 89/586-1/1
A poster with a yellow rising sun in the upper right corner and three large, smiling portraits (father, mother, child] in natural colours in the foreground. The grey background depicts the ocean and beach with people swimming.
2/4
‘Follow the Sun’ travel poster
Object No. P3503-1
A black and white poster depicting participants of the Australian Aboriginal Day of Mourning, holding several signs saying 'Aborigines Conference Day of Mourning Aborigines Only', and 'Aborigines claim citizen rights'. Printed across the upper section of the work is the text '1938 Day of Mourning and Protest 60th Anniversary 26th January 1998'. Printed under the image is the text 'Remembering, Reaffirming, Rekindling the spirit of 1938.'
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'1938 Day of mourning and protest' poster by Brenda Palma (nee Saunders)
Object No. 2003/151/1
Illustrated poster featuring image of Indigenous people raising the Indigenous flag.
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Poster, 'Land Rights Dance', designed by Chips Mackinolty
Object No. 2007/56/53
A woman performs in front of an audience who are holding their phone lights in the air.

Gallery

A First Nations performer in traditional dress is mid performance and is holding boomerang in his right hand.
A man is standing on a stage and holding a microphone.
A young man is standing on stage mid performance and holding a microphone in his left hand.
A girl is sitting on stage in a black chair. She is looking to her right and holding a microphone in her lap.

First Nations Fashion and Design

A wide fashion runway with Indigenous models dressed in various styles and colours of clothing and swimwear. At the front are a man and a woman. They are holding sand in one hand and letting it fall into the other hand.

First Nations Fashion and Design is a national voice representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, committed to creating ongoing access to opportunities, skill development, and industry engagement. As a not-for-profit organisation, its core business is supporting the growth of Indigenous fashion.

Blakout!

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First Nations models dressed in different outfits celebrate backstage at a fashion show. Black and white photograph.

Blakout!

First Nations Fashion and Design
Rhys Ripper and Nathan McGuire sit on a stage in the Powerhouse talking to one another.

Nathan McGuire x Rhys Ripper

Beautiful Freak in the Machine
Four women and a man sitting in a semi-circle formation. One woman is sitting on the ground and the rest of the group are sitting on large boxes. They women are wearing traditional Tongan dress. The man is wearing traditional Samoan dress. They are holding a variety of objects.

Treasure Islands

Arts and Cultural Exchange
Button with concave back, consisting of a garter band with the inscription "ABORIGINES/ VR" within, surmounted by a crown. The reverse of the button, has a loop for attachment and is inscribed "NEW HOLLAND" Ex Sir John Ferguson & L. Barton collections.

The Moral Frontier

Oscillations – Season 1, Episode 1
A mid shot of a young woman stands beneath fluorescent light beams.

Latitudes – Window

Prose by A.Girl, score by Mo Aung, choreography by Sela Vai
Four screens with images of trees and the first two with text overlaid. To the right a large slab on wood stands upright with white text written on it.

Right of Reply

Eucalyptusdom
An illustration of a eucalyptus leaf on a bright green background.

Resistance / Resilience

In Relation – Season 1, Episode 1
Stories

First Nations

'Powerhouse is committed to implementing Indigenous ways of working across all Powerhouse sites and areas of practice, including collections, curatorial, learning, public programs, design and delivery, communication, administration, operations, strategy and governance.'

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Blak Powerhouse 2024

Once again, Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors will take over Powerhouse Ultimo to turn a day of sorrow into one of power and positivity.

Register

Upcoming

Crowd of people holding lights up towards the people on stage.

Blak Powerhouse 2025

Ended 26 Jan 2025Manning House

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