Kimberley rock art showcased in free event

A captivating documentary set in the world-renowned rock art galleries of the Kimberley region of Western Australia will screen at The University of Western Australia next month.

Two Ways: The Kimberley Rock Art Legacy will be hosted by Rock Art Australia and UWA’s School of Social Sciences, supported by Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation, on Thursday 10 October.

The 45-minute documentary by filmmaker Mark Jones shares outcomes of the Kimberley Rock Art Dating and Kimberley Visions projects through interviews, contemporary and archival footage.

Guided by Kwini Elder Augustine ‘Boornoornoor’ Unangho, the film highlights the collaboration between scientists and one of the world’s oldest continuous cultures, the Balanggarra people.

It showcases a blend of science and traditional wisdom, revealing the enduring narratives of art, climate change, and human resilience spanning at least 50,000 years.

Rock Art Australia CEO Samantha Hamilton said Rock Art Australia has supported two-way rock art research in the Kimberley for the past 25 years, which contributes to our national narrative.

“The documentary is a visually captivating way to share the outcomes of Australia’s largest rock art dating project, undertaken in collaboration with Traditional Owners in Balanggarra Country in the north-east Kimberley,” Ms Hamilton said.

“After a successful first screening in Melbourne earlier this year, we are looking forward to sharing knowledge in Perth about our Australian history which is of national and international significance.“

Dr Sven Ouzman, an archaeologist and rock art expert from UWA’s School of Social Sciences, said the event was an opportunity for the public to take a guided tour through rock art history.

“The film combines  a variety of ways of knowing or ‘seeing’ to take viewers on a journey through time on a world-class heritage that paradoxically is not as well known in Australia as it should be,” Dr Ouzman said.

“This documentary will help improve understanding and visibility of this heritage.”

The event will feature a Welcome to Country by Emeritus Professor Len Collard. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with Kwini Traditional Owners and UWA Archaeologists ARC Laureate Professor Peter Veth and Dr Sam Harper. 

Two Ways: The Kimberley Rock Art Legacy will screen on Thursday 10 October from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, at UWA’s Crawley campus. It is a free event, but bookings are essential. For more information click here.