Muru Mittigar
Reporter: James Tobin
Muru Mittigar first opened in 1998 as an initiative of the Aboriginal Community of Western Sydney. It means “Pathway to Friends”.
Muru Mittigar acknowledges the Darug people as the traditional custodians of the local area while creating an environment that maintains Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.
Muru Mittigar endeavours to employ and train local Indigenous people.
Dance Performances
Experience entertaining and informative rituals of Aboriginal dance at their cultural centre in the outdoor amphitheatre. Traditional Aboriginal dancing was used in many ways of traditional life to celebrate certain events, such as telling a story or event, ceremonies, marriage, stages of life and more.
Here at the cultural centre they entertain you with traditional rituals of Aboriginal dance to welcome you to the country, show respect to each other, pay respect to native animals and spirit world through depicting the movements of the animals. The performances will give you an insight to the oldest living culture in the world. Dance performances are also interactive giving guests the opportunity to perform Aboriginal dance with a professional Aboriginal dance group.
Aboriginal Art
Aboriginal art is an important part of Aboriginal culture and history and is also another method of telling a story or portraying an event through art. You can also learn to do some Aboriginal art and paint your own story, maybe the journey of visiting our cultural centre on a boomerang or a souvenir of your choice.
Experienced and professional Aboriginal artists will assist you with designing and painting your story!
Cultural Centre
The Cultural centre is full of art, information, stories and much more! In the centre you will learn about tribal areas, the diversity of Aboriginal culture, and the local tribe (Darug tribe). There are visiting art exhibitions that will change to showcase the diversity of Aboriginal art and artists locally and across the country.
The centre also includes a range of traditional artefacts including dance, musical and ceremonial artefacts, hunting and fishing artefacts and more. An experienced tour guide can assist you to gain full knowledge about the artefacts, artwork, tribal area’s and stories.
Yidaki (Didjeridoo)
The Yikadi, more commonly known as the Didjeridoo, is the oldest wooden wind instrument in the world.
The instrument is only allowed to be played by men - the story about the creation of this instrument along with the reasons why only men are allowed to play it are told in the Yidaki workshop.
The distinctive sounds of the Yidaki are demonstrated by a tour guide playing various tunes and animal sounds that are thousands of years old.
Boomerang Throwing
Boomerang throwing is a fun and interactive activity learning the ways of traditional Aboriginal life. The boomerang played an important part of traditional life for survival; learn about this during the activity.
A tour guide will give demonstrations and explain why the boomerang played an important part of traditional life.
Café Muru
Serving great snacks and meals. Catering is also available for groups and booking is required. Morning/ afternoon tea and lunch is available. Various menus are available upon request that include bush tucker foods – Damper, Native Jams, Game meats, Fish, Native herbs & Spices and various beverages.
Retail Gallery
The Retail Gallery maintains a strict policy of stocking authentic Aboriginal made products that we source from communities throughout New South Wales. The aim of the Retail Gallery is to provide an income and in some cases employment for Aboriginal people.
Items on sale include unique artworks, Didjeridoo’s, Boomerang’s plus a range of handcrafted artefacts. They also sell contemporary pieces such as ceramics, clothing and jewellery.
Muru Mittigar Provenance Nursery
The Provenance Nursery specialises in growing Indigenous native provenance stock in forestry tubes - trees, shrubs, climbers and grasses.
Approximately half of the plants produced are utilised specifically for the rehabilitation and restoration projects within the working quarry at Penrith Lakes.
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More Information
Muru Mittigar 89 – 151 Old Castlereagh Rd, Castlereagh Telephone: (02) 4730 2774 Open Monday to Saturday and entry is $20 for adults and $10 for the kids. It’s a good idea to book before you go. |
Prices correct as at 15/03/08