Two new statues installed in Charles Darwin University’s Indonesian Garden represent the rich culture of Yamdena, part of the Taninbar Islands in the southern part of the province of Maluku.
The statues were donated by The City of Darwin via the Sister Cities Program in recognition of the Sister City relationship with Ambon. The statues are from the Maluku province (Ambon).
CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover welcomed the addition of the statues, which were unveiled by The City of Darwin Lord Mayor Katrina Fong Lim. They will stand guard at the entrance of the Pendopo, the garden’s striking Indonesian wooden pavilion.
“The carving of wooden statues has been an important part of the history and culture of the Maluku region for generations and these statues are representative of ancestral figures,” Professor Glover said. “Now with this generous donation, this tradition will live on in our space dedicated to keeping close cultural ties to cities such as Ambon.”
Professor Glover said that the garden had been the venue for a number of concerts and recitals by various community groups and the university’s Gamelan orchestra.
“I have watched this magnificent community asset grow and today with the addition of the new statues it further reinforces the existing strong relations between Indonesia and the Territory,” Professor Glover said.