Marmungun Rock

;

The Origin of Marmungun Rock

The Marmungun Rock concept was created from a community priority identified by the Dirrawarra Indigenous Network. Dirrawarra was formed in Wangaratta in 2007-2008 and soon after this it undertook a series of community planning sessions to identify its priorities. One of the priorities was “a local honour roll” and this was documented in Dirrawarra’s first ever Community Plan in 2010.

Years later this priority became a focus for Dirrawarra and the concept of “a local honour roll” was further developed with significant input from the late Uncle Wally Cooper.  Uncle Wally believed the honour roll should take the form of a large granite rock with handprints carved into it as a tribute to honour local people for their service to community.  This idea was first discussed in Uncle Wally’s front yard while he was carving rocks for another project – a couple of Dirrawarra network participants were there at the time and they developed the concept with Uncle Wally.

Uncle Wally was a true champion of reconciliation and he advocated for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to be recognised this way. In his wisdom Uncle Wally knew this would bring cultures together and it would break down barriers. Dirrawarra supported the concept and had to resolve several issues that were raised.

Firstly, Dirrawarra did not have capacity or the processes in place to administer an honour roll. To resolve this Dirrawarra researched Wangaratta Council’s Citizen of the Year Awards and decided, with Uncle Wally’s blessing that Councils system of honouring a Citizen of the Year was a good match.

The second issue was that the Citizen of the Year Awards were conducted on 26 January each year…this is a particularly sensitive date for First Nations People. Uncle Wally was always promoting reconciliation and so the idea was floated to conduct the ceremony at the rock during National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) as an enduring tribute to Uncle Wally but also to create an event that could include the whole community as a cultural celebration on a date other than 26 January.

Lastly, the name of the rock became an issue as it was first going to be called the “Elders Rock” because people who were being honoured in this way displayed the qualities of an Elder. The problem was Dirrawarra did not want people to think if a person’s  handprint was on the rock that they were being recognised as an Elder – this was not the intention. At the time of these discussions Uncle Wally had passed away. Dirrawarra approached the late Uncle Freddie Dowling for his advice on the issue and Uncle Freddie suggested the rock should be named “Marmungun Rock” meaning ‘of this group/area’ the closest traditional Bpangerang word for “community”. This was adopted as the traditional name.

This whole concept was then presented to Wangaratta Council and this was unanimously supported, including where it would be situated – in Apex Park alongside the Ovens River. The Marmungun Rock ceremony site was established in 2016 and the first ceremony was conducted during National Reconciliation Week 2017.

Marmungun Rock has a koala carved into it – the main Bpangerang totem animal. Five smaller rocks around Marmungun Rock are symbolic ‘protectors’ and they have other totem animals carved into them including the Long-necked Cormorant, Goanna, Possum (Uncle Wally’s totem), Pelican and Kangaroo.

Marmungan Rock 1.jpg

Stories behind the handprints

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to top