Collective cultures

THE irony in the recent Thinking Allowed was not lost on me – was it on you (“Don’t allow one culture to be built over another,” Herald, May 30)?

The concern about the proposed Walyalup Koort artwork being on the site of the original Anglican church, dating to an impressive 1843, is understandable. 

This notable part of our local history should not be forgotten or overwritten, but nor should the culture and story that pre-date it.

The Anglican Church spokesperson acknowledged that heritage is layered. 

So which heritage is more worthy of recognising, or can we acknowledge both?

WA’s heritage legislation protects built heritage – buildings, ruins, man‑made structures – but not cultural, spiritual, or natural places of significance. 

This embedded ethnocentricity in our laws and ways of thinking entrenches inequity in how places of significance are treated, regardless of age or significance – just look at what’s happening to Murrajuga!

The proposed artwork is a powerful representation of the different groups that make up the Noongar nation, and of the significance of this place we now call Fremantle – a meeting place and centre of trade for not just hundreds, but thousands of years.

Some may argue that a large artwork incorporating substantial rocks in the public realm is “inconvenient” or may “get in the way” of certain uses. 

But isn’t that, in itself, an accurate reflection of our collective heritage; that Aboriginal people were treated as an inconvenient afterthought, as people who “got in the way” of our so‑called progress?

This is the power of the proposed artwork: it dares to take up space, take centre stage in our city square, to be seen and yes, perhaps to some, to be inconvenient. 

The site of the former church is important, but so too is the ancient culture that predates it by tens of thousands of years.

Can we allow Walyalup Koort to be a place where our collective cultures and histories come together to create something new, something better?

Ray Pembo
White Gum Valley

True owners and believers

THANK you John Dowson for bringing to attention what appears to be a bullying attitude by the Fremantle council and staff members there, to St John’s Anglican Church and the church congregation (“Don’t allow one culture to build over another,” Herald May 30).

The council seem to believe they have carte blanche over church-owned land to do as they please.

Surely there is somewhere else; the $1.4 million worth of large rocks creating this Aboriginal artwork, can be placed without trespassing on and upsetting visitors to this historic church and surrounds. 

Please consider reconciliation, not divisive, ill-thought-out proposals such as this, especially in advance of the 2029 Bicentenary. 

The people of Fremantle would like to be involved in this momentous occasion, not ignored. 

This is a perfect example of riding roughshod over the true owners and believers. 

Suzanne John
Fremantle

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