The success of the Nawi project led Owen Talbot, one of our Nawi builders, to be chosen as one of five indigenous students from Australia to participate in the Bill Lane Fellowship.
This program is a partnership between Australia and the United States and Owen was one of eight Indigenous students, (three from Hawaii and five from Australia) who participated in the exchange of Indigenous knowledge and cultural skills over a three-day program.
Owen participated in a number of events, such as exploring Aboriginal rock art in Bondi, visiting The National Observatory and building a model and full-sized Nawi canoe in front of the general public.
The Bill Lane Fellowship included the welcome of the Hawaiian double-hulled canoe, named the Hokule’a. This canoe is on a three-year voyage around the world relying on the wind for power and the stars for navigation. The Hokule’a will be meeting First Nations people from all over the world to share traditional marine knowledge. Uncle Dean Kelly (who built a Nawi with Lawrence Hargrave School) greeted the Hokule’a by sailing out on the Nawi and then later performed a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony.
Owen was presented with an award by John Berry, the US Ambassador to Australia, and Kevin Sumpton, the CEO of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Owen and the other Bill Lane Fellows dined with the US Ambassador and the NSW Governor General, the Honourable David Hurley, at his residence in Sydney.
