Community in Conversation: Cut The Sky – Dreaming a future amidst the rapacious present.

In the lead up to the 2026 Rubibi season of Marrugeku’s Cut The Sky – Nulungu Research Institute invite you to a shared community discussion to explore the challenges of cultural preservation in the face of climate catastrophe, what happens when we don’t listen to Country and how we, as First Nations change makers, strive to influence a system so that we all listen – before it’s too late.

Wed, 18 Mar, 11:30am - 2pm. REGISTER HERE
The Hall at The University of Notre Dame, Broome Campus, 88 Guy Street.

Marrugeku together with Nulungu presents a Kimberley First Nations panel discussion on caring for Country and community - their experiences and perspectives on navigating the acceleration of climate catastrophes while maintaining cultural practice and knowledge systems through artistic and political expression.

Emceed and moderated by Stephen Kinnane (Marda Marda) featuring four special guests from across the Kimberley’s 55 language groups, including Mark Coles Smith (Nyikina) and Clinton Benjamin (Bardi, Kija & Yawuru) with others TBC. This event includes a light lunch, smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country as well as a special address on Cut The Sky’s conception and how the poignant work traverses’ intercultural expression and leadership in this shared community discussion.

With observations of conceptual collisions and conflicting values summoned by the recent climate injustices across the Kimberley including threats of fracking, mining, surviving floods, fires and animal extinction we present a local lens that amplifies issues of international significance, exploring the depth played out in the remote northwest communities over time, simultaneously as mineral resource / ancestor/ responsibilities / stories – to show how land is not only acted on, but also acts in abrupt, unpredictable ways.

This shared community discussion explores challenges of cultural preservation in the face of climate catastrophe from the perspective of knowledge holders and their responsibilities to each of their language group's sacred ecology of the Kimberley region.

Agenda to include:

11:30am – Smoking ceremony upon entry to the Hall and registration, light lunch provided
12pm – Welcome to Country
12.10pm -12.30pm – Special address Cut the Sky Conception
12.30 – 2pm – In Conversation with moderator and panellists (includes 15 mins Q&A with audience)