Return of the Gadi Reed welcomes people at the entrances to Gadigal Station. The monumental sculptural artwork references necklaces traditionally made from the Gadi reed, an important emblem for Gadigal people.
Four sculptural necklaces are fabricated from painted cast aluminium. The accompanying circular bronze plaques include a formal acknowledgment of Country and details of the significance of the Gadi Necklaces. The plaques also include a to-scale Gadi reed necklace which invites curious observers to touch.
This artwork by Dakota Dixon, Rowena Welsh-Jarrett and Alison Page honours the Gadigal people’s heritage, focusing on the reed necklace, a significant emblem of identity and social status among the Aboriginal communities of coastal Sydney.
The artwork reimagines these cultural adornments, incorporating traditionally used natural pigments like ochre to firmly embed Country in the work, symbolising Gadigal cultural resilience and ecological connection to this place.
This is a revival of an important Aboriginal cultural practice and serves as an educational platform, fostering intergenerational dialogue and knowledge sharing. It emphasises the interconnectedness and resilience of First Nation communities across Sydney.
Return of the Gadi Reed contributes to the accurate understanding of Gadigal culture and the meaning of ‘Gadi’, which references the reed that was prevalent in the valley of the Tank Stream, a vital water course that once ran through the location where Gadigal Station now stands.
Client: SYDNEY METRO
