Kalyagul: Connections to Menang Country – Stories Behind the Exhibition (Entangled Knowledges project at a public symposium)

This half‑day symposium invites the Albany community to come together with Menang Elders, knowledge‑holders, researchers and museum practitioners to explore the stories, relationships and careful work that shaped the Kalyagul: Connections to Menang Country exhibition.

Drawing on collections held in Australia and the UK, the exhibition places Menang voices, cultural knowledge and connections to Boodja/Country at its centre. These collections—often described as “natural history”—hold deep knowledge about Menang Country, its plants, animals, seasons and stories. The symposium opens up how this knowledge was recognised, respected and brought forward through a collaborative process led by Menang community members.

Across the afternoon, speakers will reflect on the challenges and opportunities of working with historical collections in a decolonising way.

This symposium is an opportunity for both Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal community members to hear directly from those involved, learn about the relationships behind the exhibition, and consider how museums can better honour the knowledge, authority and ongoing custodianship of Menang people.