Binak Ngarrgu, Basket of Knowledge, is a gathering circle crafted from stone and brass. It honours Aunty Dot, a passionate First Nations activist and cultural custodian, and an educator and author.
It is located in Blind Creek Reserve in Boronia, City of Knox on Wurundjeri country.
The gathering circle was created by First Nations artist Simone Thomson (Wurundjeri, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri).
Simone worked closely with Weston Rumbold Art Projects (WRAP) and Aunty Dot’s family.
At the centre of the gathering circle is a basket symbolising Aunty Dot’s gift and love for weaving and the sharing of knowledge. It has the flowing lines of two rivers: Birrarung (Yarra) on Wurundjeri Country, and Dhungala (Murray) on Yorta Yorta Country.
Brass motifs such as eel traps, flowering gums and the poppy represent aspects of her story.
Aunty Dot was born in Melbourne in 1930 and spent most of her childhood in the Healesville region. Her father, Vincent, was a Yorta Yorta man who fought in the Second World War, was captured and died a prisoner of war.
Like many Aboriginal service people at the time, Vincent’s sacrifice was not acknowledged. His family was not awarded the same compensation as those of other servicemen.
Because of this injustice, Aunty Dot campaigned to have First Nations peoples’ contributions to the armed forces formally recognised. She was central in establishing the first Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. The service is now held annually nationwide.
Aunty Dot was also passionate about ensuring cultural practices and knowledge were protected, celebrated and passed down through generations. She learned how to weave traditional baskets and eel traps from her grandmother at Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve. She hosted workshops to pass these skills and traditions onto younger generations.
The Victorian Women’s Public Art Program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund and administered in partnership with McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery. McClelland supports contemporary artists to develop, create and present their work, and manages a range of programs to commission artwork.
Read more about Aunty Dot’s story: Aunty Dorothy Peters | vic.gov.au.