First Nations People Were the First Artists and Scientists.

First Nations people in Australia have been practising science for over 60,000 years. They were astronomers; sharing knowledge on tides, eclipses, sunrise and sunsets, and the changing positions of stars and planets over the year through dreaming stories. They thoughtfully contributed to the sustainability of ecosystems and understood the delicate ecological relationship between living things. They used organic and inorganic chemistry to make pigments, acids, plasters, beverages, and by-products such as heat and light. They employed scientific methods of data collection, such as observation and experimentation, to develop branches of knowledge on the world around them and their place within it.

They also practised rock art, which is the oldest surviving human art form (dating back as far as 30,000 years in Australia). These persisting relics offer an archaeological glimpse into the cultural, historical, and scientific influence of First Nations people. Their influence has also paved the way for a proliferation of successful First Nations artists and contemporary art practices.

Acknowledgement is the foundation of reconciliation and this sentiment is particularly poignant now on International Indigenous People’s Day (August 9). Today, we not only acknowledge the enduring contributions of First Nations people, but we affirm our dedication at Science Gallery Melbourne to disrupting harmful modes of thinking that have denied history and hindered reconciliation efforts for generations.

In April 2021, Science Gallery Melbourne was opened by a Welcome to Country ceremony facilitated by Wurundjeri elder Aunty Di Kerr. The event was created by a group of First Nations women and was a moment to remember that we work, innovate and play on unceded lands. The smoking ceremony paid homage to the site’s complex past as the Royal Women's Hospital while cleansing it for new stories to be told. Featuring performance by Wiradjuri poet and academic Jeanine Leane, Mikayla George and Dharna Nicholson-Bux from Djirri Djirri dance group it was hosted by Wergaia/Wemba Wemba Wemba producer Susie Anderson.