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Bara Baraang – Waterways Wisdom is a story-time exhibition of ceremonial possum skin cloaks narrating Dreamings, songlines and ceremonies of Ancestral Belonging by Guringai Yuin Sydney Traditional Owner Amanda Jane Reynolds. Each cloak is made with deep love and care for the spiritual and physical dimensions including ceremonies acknowledging the return of the possum from Aotearoa New Zealand to its homeland, and the use of plant medicines, ochres and dyes in accordance with cultural protocols.
Bara Baraang honours Amanda’s connection to one of her totems ‘Bara’ and her role as a Senior Cloak Teacher for ‘Baraang’ possum skin cloaks by celebrating the ancient wisdoms of saltwater and freshwaters of her Ancestral Country. Features a range of cloaks and stories including her celebrated Maraya Wumara-Warra Sky Emu rises cloak, Ngara Ngayana ceremonial cloak in honour of Barangaroo, and her little great-nice Lily dragonfly cloak.
Bara Baraang is an offering of deep love carrying healing vibrations from the pools of creation, as Amanda says:
The first sound we hear before we have ears is felt. Our sacred sound vibration is gifted to us by our birth mother and is our very own bridge between Mother Earth and Father Sky. Mother’s heartbeat grows our spirit and bodies while in the womb preparing us for our journey to earth. Gulaga (sacred mother mountain) holds the memory of this story and ancient gift – the rhythm of life – and the Old People have always said that when the cloud or mist gathers on the mountain, Gulaga is wearing her possum skin cloak.
When our women come together in ceremony and drum our possum skin cloaks, we open and connect with that ancient story, our memory of feeling the sound vibration pulse and echo through our spirit and body slowly, gently returns. We drum for our families, friends, plants and animals – we drum for Mother Earth and Father Sky and in celebration of the dance of the Ancestral Grandparents. We drum to honour and remember this Ancient gift, a humble sound carrying the gift of life, our Ancestral connection.
Bara Baraang – Waterways Wisdom is being hosted at NSW Parliament by Liza Butler MP, Member for the South Coast.
How to see the exhibition
Visit the free exhibition at NSW Parliament House on weekdays, 9am to 5pm from 3 June - 31 July 2025. Access is to the left of the building via the security gatehouse.
