Possum-skin cloaks are making a comeback as a symbol of First Nations culture worn by Indigenous leaders at special events and in parliament. But the cultural practice wasn't always celebrated.
Multiple bushy tails dangle from the gown's trim.
Like an American patchwork quilt, a possum-skin cloak is an assemblage of personal stories, Ms Parsley explained."You got stories from this area, people have put their totems on there," Ms Parsley said. But as the British colony expanded across New South Wales and assimilation practices were enforced, things started to change.Gunai woman and author Kirli Saunders said research showed how possum-skin cloaks became part of the economy around the time of colonisation.
"The cultural practice was disrupted because of profit and economy and the possibility of equality," she said.It is believed that the government replaced the cloaks with woollen blankets, a substandard substitute for a wet winter on the east coast, resulting in many Aboriginal people dying of common European cold and flus."But the most exciting thing for us is we're renewing the culture all the time through producing beautiful possum-skin cloaks.
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