We
acknowledge the Wathaurong Traditional Custodians of the land on which
the Drysdale Festival of Glass is held and we pay our
respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander People who are part of the local community today.
Tribute to Uncle David Tournier
The Festival of Glass committee acknowledges the passing of Aboriginal elder Uncle David Tournier in January 2017 and offers its condolences to his family and friends and to the Wathaurong community. Uncle David was a quiet treasure and his passing is a great loss. He was known and respected across the region for reviving, conserving and teaching the Wathaurong people’s traditional knowledge and skills.
Uncle David supported the Festival of Glass since it started in 2011 and his "Welcome to Country" was a highlight of each Festival Expo's Opening Ceremony. He was also a 'cultural advisor' to the "Welcome to Drysdale" mural - a Festival of Glass project – and gave a "Welcome to Country" at the mural’s unveiling in September 2016.
Uncle David Tournier,
Opening Ceremony, 2015 Festival of Glass
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