Support for the Keeping Place

The collection was bought to Redfern for cataloguing with support from the RWA.

After months of hard work by Gordon and Elaine, UNILINC Ltd, Redfern Residents for Reconciliation and many other volunteers, the cataloguing of the paintings and their valuation are near completion.

An invitation to meet Kristina Keneally, the Minister for Redfern Waterloo, coincided with plans for a gathering in support of the collection.

On the eve of the first anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology, Wilson Street rocked to a large turnout from the local and wider Aboriginal communities, the art world, the reconciliation movement and supporters of Gordon and Elaine’s “Keeping Place”. While the event started at 6pm many arrived late and stayed until the early hours of the next morning, keen to show their moral and material support.

The evening was organised by a committee of Indigenous professionals which has been established to bring Gordon and Elaine’s dream of a publicly accessible keeping place for the collection to fruition.

Gordon Syron paid tribute to Chicka Dixon who is the official patron of the Keeping Place during the evening.

John Morse, the ex-head of Tourism Australia, joined those making recorded statements of support, while Aboriginal activist Lyle Munro, Aboriginal Art Curator Djon Mundine, Sydney Heritage Society’s Andrew Woodhouse and Geoff Turnbull from REDWatch spoke in support on the open mike. A minute’s silence was also held for those killed in the Victorian bushfires.

Josephine Cashman was the MC for the evening which started in language with actor and linguist Richard Green.

Activist Ken Canning read a poem called ‘Nameless People’ while Keeping Place Chair Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor recited ‘Spirit Man’ – her poem about Gordon Syron. Adam Hill played a didgeridoo, signed and played by many Aboriginal musical greats, which he then donated to the Keeping Place collection. Nadeena Dixon sang ‘Aboriginal Land’ accompanied by some wonderful dancers.

To finish off the entertainment hip-hop artists, Wire MC and Choo Choo performed with little Little Gee and The Last Kinection DJ Jaytee.

Some nearby neighbours, concerned by the volume of the entertainment, invited the “boys in blue” who arrived just as the entertainment was coming to an end.

Around $1,100 was raised to help support Gordon and Elaine. A good time was had by those attending.

Source: South Sydney Herald March 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au