Summary:

In the heart of suburban Australia there’s a lake with a buried history. Aboriginal Elder Doolann-Leisha Eatts spent her life sharing the story of what really happened there. Galup VR Experience invites you to sit with Doolann by her fire and hear the truth for yourself. Highlighting the ongoing impact of colonisation, this intimate truth-telling experience brings people together for connection and healing and will resonate with you long after you leave.

Director Bio:

Ian Wilkes is a multifaceted Noongar theatre-maker, dancer, and performer who has directed plays like Black Swan’s York and Yirra Yaakin’s Boodjar Kaatijin. He has also performed in lead roles in productions such as Hecate at Perth Festival and The Line at State Theatre Centre of WA. Wilkes is an Associate Artist at Perth Festival and has won the 2021 NAIDOC Perth Artist of the Year.

Poppy van Oorde-Grainger is a visual artist and filmmaker with two decades of experience in community arts, and is the founding director of the not-for-profit production company Same Drum. She gained recognition through awards like the Fremantle Print Award and the Australia Council Kirk Robson Award, and has written, directed, and produced projects including Galup (Perth Festival, 2021) and Two Sands (SBS, 2022).

Doolann-Leisha Eatts was a Whadjuk Bibbumen Noongar Elder, recognized for her contributions as a writer, teacher, and advocate. She was the author of several books and the recipient of multiple awards, including the Torch-Bearers Medallion and four NAIDOC Perth Awards, and was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015.