First Nations Knowledge and Culture for Urban Retrofit and Welcome to Country

Time: 9:10 – 09:45, Wednesday 22 November
Location: B117 Theatre

This keynote will discuss First Nations’ perspectives on retrofitting buildings, infrastructure, and landscapes. How can we create urban places that bolster resilient, healthy communities that celebrate culture and Country?

Mandy Nicholson

Lecturer in First Nations Design, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne

Born in Healesville, Mandy is a Wurundjeri artist and Traditional Custodian of Naarm (Melbourne) and surrounds. She also has connections to the Dja Dja wurrung and Ngurai ilum wurrung Language Groups of Victoria on her father's side and German on her mother's.

For the last 30+ years through her art business Tharangalk Art, Mandy has produced carvings, etchings, prints, airbrushed works, murals, digital and painted works, drone works, language audio installations and public art. First Nation art styles are regionally based with Wurundjeri being fresh water, bush people, with a carving culture of symmetrical lines and diamond motifs.

Mandy has worked with architects and landscape architects to create cultural safety within public spaces as well as corporate interiors/fit outs. She has also coauthored a masterplan and worked as a cultural consultant for many years. She has authored and coauthored papers around the topic of embedding First People's perspectives through design and planning regimes in an urban environment.

Mandy mentors First Nation young girls through learning and teaching of culture, language, dance, and maintenance of ceremonial practices. She created Djirri Djirri dance group in 2013 to create cultural grounding and support network. She also rekindled an ancient Coming of Age ceremony called Murrum Turrukurruk, alongside two Wurundjeri Elders in 2015 after 185 years of it not being practiced. This work was recognised in 2022 by winning the Ganbu Gullnj (One Mob) section of the Melbourne Awards. Djirri Djirri have performed locally, nationally and internationally.

Mandy gained a Bachelor of Arts (2nd class Honours) in Aboriginal Archaeology in 2011, worked for the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL) for six years becoming a Woiwurrung language specialist in addition to her 26+ years of language revival.

Mandy completed her PhD in 2023 focusing on Country and how people connect to it Off Country. Titled 'On Country Off Country' her research highlights layers of Country, physical and spiritual ways of connecting and how you carry Country within you no matter where and 'when' (genetic memory) you are.