Cultural Talk by Gabriel Bani | Billy Missi’n Wakain Thamai
Celebrate the opening of 'Billy Missi’n Wakain Thamai' with a cultural talk by well respected mentor and advisor Gabriel Bani.
HBRG welcomes you to join us for an absorbing cultural talk by respectedTorres Strait Island Elder and community leader Gabriel Bani as part of the opening celebrations of Billy Missi’n Wakain Thamai.
Gabriel Bani is a direct descendent of Athe Bari, and the Kuyku garka (Head man) of the Major Tribe of Wagadagam, a sovereign nation of people of the Torres Strait Islands, as well as a cultural consultant, advisor and councillor of Torres Shire Council. He has appeared on several documentaries and TV program, including Our Stories on SBS Australia.
“My tribal totem is Koedal (crocodile), my tribal wind is the Kuki Guuba (Northwest Wind), and my tribal tongue is ‘Mabuyag’ which is a dialect of the Kala Lagaw Ya, the Western Island language. I speak my native tongue ‘Kala Lagaw Ya’ as my first language, Torres Strait Creole my second, and English is my third language.
“As a cultural mentor and advisor, my presentations at local Forums, national Conferences, and gatherings, focus on Cross Cultural Communication – identifying barriers, and working towards positive solutions.”
Date: 31 May 2025
Time: 12.00 - 12.40am
Location: Hervey Bay Regional Gallery
Cost: FREE, please register
Billy Missi’n Wakain Thamai is an exhibition developed by NorthSite Contemporary Arts (Cairns) and touring Australia in partnership with Gab Titui Cultural Centre/Torres Strait Regional Authority (Thursday Island) and Museums & Galleries Queensland. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia program.
Image credit: George Serras
