WCMICS-Funded Possum Skin Cloak Project Launched at the Eye and Ear
WCMICS were proud to attend today’s launch of Baagon Walert Walert – a powerful cultural project led by the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in partnership with Aboriginal communities and the Parkville health precinct.
The project centred on the creation of a possum skin cloak titled “Baagon Walert Walert”, a Taungurung phrase meaning “coming together with possum skin”, and was unveiled as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations.
“It was an honour to support this project and gain insight into the intricate craftsmanship behind the creation of a possum skin cloak,” WCMICS Project Lead Tara Gannon reflected, “this cloak now stands as a legacy, offering wrap-around cultural support and a sense of safety for Aboriginal community members accessing healthcare at the Eye & Ear Hospital.”
This important reconciliation initiative was proudly funded by WCMICS and brought together staff, patients, volunteers, consumer advisors, and Aboriginal community members across the precinct to collaboratively design and craft a unique adult-sized possum skin cloak.
Participants took part in cultural workshops led by respected Aboriginal Elder Aunty Gina Bundle, where they created designs reflecting their own perspectives on reconciliation, which were then drawn, incised, and painted onto the pelts.
WCMICS also played a creative role in the process – with the Parkville Precinct section of the cloak designed by WCMICS Communications & Media Specialist and Gamilaroi woman Maddison Gray, on behalf of the broader Parkville health network. (Click image below to enlarge).
“This design honours the ongoing connection of Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people to Country and illustrates the continuity between pre-colonial meeting places and the role of Parkville’s modern hospitals as contemporary places of gathering, healing, and knowledge-sharing. Each line and symbol within the Parkville depiction reflects a layered story of past and present: watercourses, plant life, travel paths, and community all interwoven to illustrate a shared future grounded in truth, respect, and care. The piece becomes both a cultural artefact and a visual expression of ongoing reconciliation.” Maddison Gray
WCMICS is proud to support initiatives that embed cultural safety, amplify Aboriginal voices, and strengthen healing across our healthcare system. The Baagon Walert Walert cloak will remain a lasting symbol of truth-telling, collaboration, and the enduring presence of First Nations culture and knowledge within our shared spaces.