As the seasons change, so too does Billibellary’s expectation of his environment

As the seasons change, so too does Billibellary’s expectation of his environment

Billibellary’s Walk is a guided walk through the University’s Parkville campus that presents a narrative of Aboriginal ‘place’ on Wurundjeri Country and asks participants to experience its meaning in both the past and present.

By Associate Professor Shawana Andrews, University of Melbourne

Encounters of place are complex, compellingly visceral and layered. Experience, perception and relational embodiment are the scaffolds of place that set it apart from notions of space.

“Places gather things in their midst … experiences and histories … languages and thoughts.”

The Western preoccupation with geographical space and Aboriginal regard for the constitution of place is the point of tension that sits at the heart of Billibellary’s Walk.

This article was first published on Pursuit. Read the original article in full here.