A WEEKLONG Australian Indigenous art exhibition at the National Art Gallery was an eye opener for visiting schools in Honiara.
Called the ‘Yuendumu 30 Doors art exhibition’, the event showcased cultures and traditional believes of indigenous people of Australia.
The exhibition was launched Monday this week, led by staff of the Australia High Commission in Solomon Islands.
Yesterday, two schools were present at the exhibition and the feedback from the students and teachers were positive.
The schools were Red Cross Solomon Islands and Burns Creek Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Primary School.
These schools brought their representatives to attend the exhibition.
The teachers that were interviewed by this paper said the exhibition was an eye opener for their students.
The exhibition has taught students about the cultures, traditions, arts (painting), people and animal living in Australia.
It also allows students to be able to listen to Dreamtime stories of Yuendumu 30 Doors, one of them was the story of the Rainbow Snake called ‘Wanayara Rainbow Snake’.
Sharing the same sentiments was the Red Cross Solomon Islands’ Principal, Jiope Iputu. He said the exhibition was an eye opener for his students because they learn new things about Australia.
“Specifically, my students learn about art, old stories and culture of indigenous people of Australia.
“They learn that not white men and women alone live in Australia but black people like us in Solomon Islands as well.
“My students also learn that indigenous people of Australia believe so much in their culture and traditional believes like us Solomon Islanders too,” Mr Iputu said.
Australia is similar to Solomon Islands in culture, people (black people of Aboriginal) and climate, he added.
“I appreciate the Australia High Commission’s staffs because they encourage my students to keep their cultures and preserve their traditional believes because they are important for new generation to come.
Burns Creek School Grade 6 teacher, Spencer Tilley said their students learn new thing about Australia.
“It is new to our children to learn art work for indigenous people of Australia which is showcased in this exhibition,” he said.
“This exhibition is an eye opener for our kids because this is the first time for us to take them out and attend such art exhibition,” he said.
The exhibition will ended on Friday.
By LACHLAN EDDIE
Newsroom, Honiara
