Cultural Advisors
Nupiri-ti Palawa acknowledges the leadership and cultural guidance of its founding Palawa Cultural Advisors: Jeanette James, Cheryl Mundy trimanya and Theresa Sainty.
Cheryl and Theresa continue to provide cultural leadership and guidance, helping shape the festival’s vision, values and direction while ensuring it remains culturally informed, accountable and community-led.
Theresa Sainty
Theresa Sainty is a researcher, writer and poet. She is a highly skilled and experienced consultant with a background in Government (state and Australian), Aboriginal Community Organisation (Aboriginal Linguistic Consultant), program evaluation, curriculum development, Aboriginal Cultural Awareness development and delivery and public speaking. She is a Senior Indigenous Scholar with UTAS, undertaking a PhD which is a continuation of her decades long research (which began in 1997) as Aboriginal Linguistic Consultant with the palawa kani Language Program.
Theresa has also worked independently as a cultural advisor on several projects with Roar Film, the National Maritime Museum of Australia, Causeway Films (The Nightingale) and the ABC, including developing complementary project-based curriculum resources. Most recently Theresa has undertaken multifaceted projects with various local Councils and various collaborations with artists and writers.
Photo: Jillian Mundy
Cheryl Mundy trimanya
Cheryl Mundy trimanya is a Pakana woman from the Pinterreriner people of the Lumaranatana (Country at Cape Portland) and Layrapinthi (Country at Musselroe) in North-East Lutruwita. She has a son and three grandchildren.
She has worked extensively in Aboriginal health, wellbeing and mental health for over four decades in Aboriginal organisations, NGO’s and government agencies. Cheryl maintains that cultural expression and art are wellbeing tools for individuals and communities.
Cheryl is a songwriter singer, weaver, sculptor, set designer, poet, film producer, post-production voice artist, and cultural and health educator and consultant. Involved in community arts since the late eighties she has been co-facilitating workshops with renowned Pakana weaver Aunty Colleen Minungkana Mundy for over twenty years. Among numerous creative activities Cheryl has co-produced two installations at TMAG and a permanent installation at the former Queens Orphan School, and recently collaborated with artist Priscilla Beck, Southern Beaches Landcare Coastcare and the Dodges Ferry community in a land-based installation that embedded storytelling in Country.
Jeanette James
Jeanette James was one of the founding Palawa Cultural Advisors for the festival. We acknowledge and thank her for her invaluable work, time, and knowledge – all of which helped shaped the foundations of Nupiri-ti Palawa.
Photos: Jillian Mundy