Wayne Thorpe
Wayne Thorpe is of the Gunnai and Yorta Yorta traditional Family language groups; Born in Bratowaloong Clan country, one of the five clan groups within the Gunnai Nation (aka Gippsland / Kurnai). Wayne is currently residing in the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Community in Krowatungaloong clan country – east Gippsland, approximately 15 klms from Lakes Entrance, Victoria.Wayne set out on a journey as a Personal Research into Identity of Family Language and Gunnai Culture, early in 1980, with the assistance from his Elders, Family and Community members, while searching through the Archival material. He created Watbalimba Arts by analysing and practicing his traditional culture. The Watbalimba project started as a means to pass on information to his own children and then he realised that many other people can learn to understand the need to care for country.
Wayne has presented Cultural Awareness sessions and inspired many people in the understanding of Indigenous culture. His working life has been in promoting Traditional Gunnai Culture through Language Songs Stories and Dance. And he continues to speak with many Elders of his family and the Koori communities, and has agreed to seek ways to provide Cultural Awareness for our mob and to non-Koori people in the hope that we can achieve better awareness of caring for country within our lands.
Wayne introduces the spiritual respect laws of cultural learning recognising that ‘every living thing has a spiritual energy’, this includes the land and waters the plants and the animals all have spiritual energies. So, we all must be aware of our own actions and look after country.
Education
- Wayne learned of the Spirit of Traditional Language and to play the whistling Gumleaf from his Great Grandfather Con Edwards since the age of 5 years old.
- The development of Watbalimba the Language of Song Story and Dancesince 1984.
- Cultural Ceremony with Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison in NSW/Vic since 2011 to present.
- Batchelor of the Arts in Linguistics, majoring in Community Sociolinguistics at BIITE in NT during 2002-2007. This was an all Indigenous Institute for Tertiary Education.
- Masters of Education – Thesis titled; WATBALIMBA – Language of Song Story and Dance. At Monash University Gippsland 2008 2011.
Lecturing
Presenting the topic of the Gunnai Language of Song, Story and Dance and the history of missionaries’ rules on practising our culture. And he has spoken about the cultural connection to country on numerous occasions to organisations, government departments, public gatherings and celebrations during welcome ceremonies and cultural events.- BIITE – Bachelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education,
- Monash University in Churchill Gippsland,
- Deakin University Geelong,
- TAFE in Bairnsdale and Morwell in Gippsland
Gunnai Language – Maak Dhang
Wayne has learned the Stories shared by Elders and family relations and under their direction he has studied archival records about his family and history of country since 1980, where the ancestors shared their stories to be available for the descendants to pick up in later years. E.g. through understanding the aspects of Language and Cultural Values through the oral traditions and cultural dreaming of our people, including using the information provided from the archival information, and using what’s useful and rejecting what’s not. Wayne recognises that many people are needed to revitalize our cultural values to care for country – we must put our own hand up and nominate ourselves to fulfil these custodial roles and responsibilities. During his travels into communities of Aboriginal Australia and overseas, he has learned many things about the Dreaming Cultures of these places visited.Wayne began his research and presentations to engage in the culture and to help others be aware of the traditional cultural values.
Presentations
As a Public Presenter, Wayne is available to attend festivals, Camps, Educational Groups- Watbalimba – language of song story and dance
- Cultural Advisor
- Welcome ceremony
- Smoking ceremony – cleansing
- Gunnai Language and Linguistics
- Storyteller of Gunnai Dreaming
- Cultural music
- Contemporary musician
- Traditional dance leader and coordinator
- Gunnai Astronomy
- Cultural workshop facilitator
Highlights
As a Traditional Custodian of Gunnai Culture, Wayne continues to conduct the Welcome and Smoking Ceremonies and Cultural Workshops for groups when called.- 2018 Cultural Caring for Country worker at LTAT – Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust
- 2018 Stories on the Lakes – presentation about the book – A story of Bung Yarnda aka Lake Tyers,
- 2018 Radio Interview Special on ABC Radio, a Personal Cultural Story
- 2012-2017 Research and Presentations, through the language of stories on methods of Land and Water and Fire Management.
- 2011 to present day; Supporting and Attending Ceremony Camps with Elders and brothers from clan groups of the East coast.
- 2008-2011 Masters of Education Degree (MEd). Thesis titled: WATBALIMBA, with Koori Cohort at Monash University Gippsland.
- 2007-2010 Board of directors and Negotiation Team member on each group. Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC)
- 2002/2007 Bachelor of Arts Degree (B.A.) in ‘Language and Linguistics’. BIITE – Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education NT.
- 2001/2. Family Culture Days – “A Vision of what’s possible” Cultural Gatherings at Lake Tyers and Barmah Forest.
- 2000 played the Didjeridoo for Ansett Airlines Star Alliance – at Uluru, Tai Pei, Hong Kong and Sydney Opera House.
- 2000 Spicks and Specks ABC TV – Played the Whistling Gum Leaf x 6 tunes for panel to guess
- 1999 – 2001.State dance representative for Victoria on NADCA (National Indigenous Dance Council Australia)
- 1997 Wayne was the MC for the Doonooch Dancers NSW Nowra –during the “Healing the World” Tour across America, Canada, Hawai’i.
- 1995 – 1996 Cultural exchange and performance – Ireland Belfast, England, Fiji, with David Arden and Manager.
- 1993 MCG – Didjeridoo Player on the Scoreboard – Year of Indigenous Peoples. Grandfinal between Carlton and Essendon.
- 1992 – 1994.State Language Representative for Victoria on FATSIL (Federation for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Languages)
- 1980 – 1990. Rhythm Guitar with Hard Times Band and Solo Career
- 1984 to present day. Traditional Dance leader of the Watbalimba Dancers