Australian Embassy and CCP Open Exhibit and Book Launch for Indigenous People’s Month
The Australian Embassy in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines is hosting an exhibit from October 11 – 23, 2016 in celebration of the Indigenous People’s month.
The exhibit showcases a variety of photos from the book Re-Imagining Australia: Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino Descent written by Deborah Wall, a Filipino-Australian journalist and researcher who specialized in Aboriginal studies and oral history.
BOOK AUTHOR DEBORAH WALL as she explains the photo installation from her book to the night’s special guests
Last October 18 (Tuesday), a reception held at the Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco in CCP, was hosted by the Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely and Cultural Center of the Philippines President Raul Sunico to showcase the exhibit and launch Ms. Wall’s book.
“We are pleased to host Deborah’s exhibit and book launch in the Philippines which highlights the link of Indigenous Australians to their Filipino roots. This coincides with the celebration of the Indigenous people’s Month of October, and our celebration of Australia’s 70 years of diplomatic relationship with the Philippines,” said Gorely.
AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADOR AMANDA GORELY
Cultural Center of the Philippines President Raul Sunico also gave his welcoming remarks for the night. “As we celebrate our 70 years of our diplomatic relations, we also look forward to closer cultural ties and cultural collaborations between the two countries. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Author, Miss Deborah Wall for her wonderful book, and to thank Ambassador Gorley for co-producing this particular event, giving much needed importance in linking our two nations together.”
CCP PRESIDENT RAUL SUNICO
Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without the much-awaited words from the author herself. Ms. Deborah Wall also claimed the stage as she explains, “My book, Re-Imagining Australia: Voices of Indigenous Australians of Filipino descent is my way of recognizing the voices of the pioneering work of Manila Men in Northern Australia. I hope that this book contributes to a deeper understanding of what it means to be both Australian and Filipino with our nation state.”
BOOK AUTHOR DEBORAH WALL
Wall also introduced some of the indigenous Australian descendants, or in her words “ang mga bagong dating na kababayan natin” (our newly arrived countrymen), to say a few words.
KEVIN PUERTOLLANO
PETER SABATINO
JOSEPHINE DAVID-PETERO
Kevin, Peter and Josephine’ stories were included in Wall’s book.
The book recounts the story of the “Manila Men,” the first migrant Filipinos to northern Australia in the late 1800s working in the pearling industry. A large number of indigenous Australians are descendants of these Manila Men. Some of these Australians are narrators of the book and have accompanied Wall to the Philippines to trace their Filipino ancestry.
Wall’s book and the visit of the Australian descendants of Manila Men represent the historical links and deep people-to-people ties tgat we celebrate as part of the 70th anniversary of Philippines-Australia relations.
For updates on the #First70Years celebration, visit www.philippines.embassy.gov.au, like Australia in The Philippines on Facebook, and follow the Australian Ambassador on Twitter at @Ausambph
