Whether you’re visiting from near or far, take the time to understand the culture and history that surrounds you.
Wadjemup / Rottnest Island is a significant place for Aboriginal people across Western Australia. This land is that of the Traditional Owners, the Whadjuk Noongar people, and is known as 'the place across the water where the spirits are'. Come and say kaya (hello), and join Noongar cultural facilitators for a cultural yarn, a unique opportunity that connects you to the land, history, and culture of Wadjemup.
As gentle waves continually lap the shores of Wadjemup, so do stories shared by Traditional Owners. Yarning is a cultural, conversational practice that involves the telling of stories as a way to pass on knowledge. Every yarn is an opportunity to connect communities and bring people together.
Wadjemup is a beautiful island. But, we also want visitors to understand the cultural connection of people and purpose. It’s so important to share our history and our stories with the wider world. And cultural yarns are a brilliant way to be able to do this.
Jayden Boundry and Dylan Shillito are the brothers behind Mirliny; a family-owned Aboriginal business that offers cultural yarning experiences for all ages. Every engaging, informative session aims to spark a deeper appreciation for the oldest living culture in the world. “A cultural yarn is about the space that we create,” Jayden explains. “As cultural people, we want to create a space where we can make everyone feel welcome and able to share experiences.”
Rather than simply sitting and listening, cultural yarning involves everyone. “We want to know who you are and where you’re from. This is a big part of us coming together. When we talk about culture, we like to look at similarities rather than differences.”
The brothers describe having a cultural yarn as a way to deepen your connection to Wadjemup while visiting: “to have a cultural yarn together is about sharing stories from long ago about the people of this place, and getting visitors to have a bit more connection to purpose, place, people, animals, and plants.”
No two days on Country are the same, and the same goes for every session. Cultural yarning experiences are held on Wadjemup throughout the year. While there is common content, the yarn is guided by what’s happening around you, from the weather and seasons to the wildlife. Every session is interactive, inviting open discussions and questions throughout.
You could come along to a session multiple times and learn something different in each one. It’s about being hands-on, making everyone a part of it, learning language and having fun.
The Mirliny team focus their sessions on the six Noongar seasons and engaging Creation Stories from around the area. Sessions begin with a warm wandjoo (welcome) before settling in for meaningful group conversations. As Jayden and Dylan explain, “in the yarning sessions, we sit down in a circle so everyone can see one another. We’re all sitting on the same Country; we’re all sitting in the circle to share stories.”
The brothers reflect on the importance of a willingness to learn about Noongar culture, no matter where you’re visiting from. Their prompt to visitors is: “to come with an open mind… we’re not just sitting there, we want to be able to share culture in a safe space. And if you have questions, we want you to ask.”
Throughout the sessions, truth-telling is at the heart of every shared story. Wadjemup’s prison history is discussed in an open and honest way, to foster a deeper respect for this significant site.
Cultural yarns on Wadjemup are led by operators such as Mirliny and visiting cultural facilitators. Mirliny cultural yarning experiences run for 45 minutes and invite you to connect with Country and discover the stories of Wadjemup. Find booking information here.
Free cultural yarning events are also hosted on the island throughout the year. See what’s on to keep an eye out for upcoming sessions.
Make your visit even more meaningful with helpful advice from those in the know.
