Horsham North will soon be the site of a major new public artwork, with the installation of new silo art set to begin at the end of this month.
The artwork is titled Yangga Dyata - Walking on Country and focusses on the life of Yanggendyinanyuk (Yang-gen-jin-a-nyook), which means 'his walking feet' in Wergaia language.
Yanggendyinanyuk was born in the mid-1830s on Wotjobaluk Country, and lived a life marked by extraordinary achievement and leadership, whilst also experiencing deep loss and grief.
While he has been publically celebrated as part of the first Indigenous Cricket tour to England, and for his extraordinary tracking skills in finding the Cooper Duff children of the 'Lost in the Bush' story, Yanggendyinanyuk also saw the loss of his clan and Country.
Having lived as a warrior and hunter of great skill, Yanggendyinanyuk also worked as a mail rider servicing stations all across the Wimmera between Horsham and the South Australian border. He was an accomplished player of draughts, cribbage, billiards, boxing and cricket and was a life-long abstainer from alcohol.
Having been twice denied a grant of land as part of a government scheme aiming to attract European farmers to his country, today Yanggendyinanyuk's legacy flows through his descendants and the Native Title over the Country he once walked, and through the re-emergence of the ancient Wergaia language he once spoke.
In 1886, Yanggendyinanyuk passed away at Ebenezer mission, a proud husband to Eliza Townsend and father of nine children.
Shana Miatke, Creative services lead at Horsham Rural City Council reflects upon the importance of the sharing of Yanggendyinanyuk's story through the installation of this new large-scale public artwork.
"Council is extremely privileged to be trusted with the generous telling of Yanggendyinanyuk's story. As a community we all have a responsibility to his descendants; our First people, neighbours and friends, to welcome with respect the Yangga Dyata story as it is arises from the Country, to reveal itself upon the agricultural infrastructure of the Horsham Silo and Flour Mill."
"Yanggendyinanyuk's story reveals a part of Horsham's history that many people may not know about. Through the telling of his story, we will all know more about ourselves and who we are today as a community."
More of Yanggendyinanyuk's story will be revealed over the coming months with an audio recording available online as part of the visitation experience to the new silo art featuring his image.
Council has partnered with Barengi Gadgin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the owners of the silos to secure a Victorian Government grant to fund this project. The Yangga Dyata – Walking on Country Silo Art Project is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
