Dandiiri Maiwar
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultures Centre
Dandiiri Maiwar is a vibrant and living Cultures Centre showcasing Queensland's Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. Learn about Aboriginal cultures and Torres Strait Islander cultures from long ago through to the present day.
The Cultures Centre is made up of the Exhibition and the Open Access Collection.
Things to see and do
- Engage with Australia's two distinct Indigenous cultures through their stories, artefacts, photographs, art and music.
- Celebrate the cultural diversity, innovation and creativity of Queensland's Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders.
- Explore the richness and complexity of life through the diverse experiences, perspectives and stories of the first people of this country.
- Share stories from communities, clan groups, families and individuals from all over Queensland who have opened their lives and hearts for you.
- Experience triumphs and tragedies, histories and hopes for the future, dreams and achievements - through stories from places including the Torres Strait Islands, Yarrabah, Aurukun, Cape York, Hopevale, Townsville, Cairns, Lockhart River, Laura and Cherbourg.
Magil the eastern water dragon
- Look for Magil, our guide for young children. Magil (mogil, a local Aboriginal word), an eastern water dragon is found throughout the Centre. Magil assists by providing information for children about Aboriginal cultures and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Magil also instructs them on how to use the interactives, designed especially for 3 to 8 year olds. How many pictures of Magil can you find at the Centre?
The Exhibition
The Exhibition consists of six walk-in circles - three for Aboriginal stories and three for Torres Strait Islander stories.
The six circles symbolise equal respect for and the importance of, the distinct cultures, stories and perspectives of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders and symbolise meeting places or campsites and the islands.
Aboriginal stories
Torres Strait Islander stories
Open Access collection
Queensland Museum houses and cares for one of the largest and most extensive collections of Aboriginal artefacts and Torres Strait Islander artefacts from Queensland. The Open Access area displays over 1000 ancient and modern Aboriginal artefacts and Torres Strait Islander artefacts and is an extension of the storage areas of Queensland Museum.
Meaning of 'Dandiiri Maiwar'
'Dandiiri Maiwar' (dun deeree may war) roughly translates as "meet at the river".
It combines two words commonly used by local Aboriginal groups: 'dandiiri' meaning "to meet" and 'maiwar', the traditional word used to refer to the waterway now known as the Brisbane River.
The name gives us a sense of purpose and place as well as expressing the significance of water and waterways to all peoples, past, present and future.
