Tram puts focus on Kardi Munaintya (Emu Dreaming)

Wednesday, 29 May 2019

A tram painted in Aboriginal artwork is helping to focus attention on National Reconciliation week, celebrating this year's theme of Grounded in Truth - Walk Together with Courage.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia .

For the past nine years DPTI has been displaying Indigenous artwork and story on trams, and again this year the tram has been wrapped in the Kardi Munaintya (Emu Dreaming).

It’s a representation of how important Indigenous culture is to this department and our desire for all South Australians to experience it in their everyday lives.

The Kardi Munaintya tram wrap represents 39 Aboriginal language groups across South Australia and shows the journey of the Emu traversing across his country acknowledging all 39 groups.

The artist who designed the artwork  covering the tram, Paul Herzich, said the design shows circles that represent places to share together. He sees the ‘tram stops’ as places where people gather coming together to talk and engage with each other while waiting for the tram.

Sharing together is a big part of National Reconciliation Week and Paul hopes the tram will help open up discussion and bring not only a learning about Aboriginal culture but questions that seek further knowledge of a history that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people share.

Hear more about the tram artwork and what it means to Paul Herzich in the short video below, Country & Culture.