Official launch of Nunga Oog

We are thrilled to share with you all that Nunga Oog was officially launched last Friday. With more than 50 children, young people and adults attending at Tulya Wardli (Bonython Park), the Nunga Oog plush toy and costume was unveiled to a roar of cheer and applause.

When the Nunga Oog project started in 2020, we wanted to create a safety symbol to represent more than the one third of children and young people in South Australia’s care system who are Aboriginal. We wanted a symbol that speaks about their own journey and experiences and represents their own imagery and aesthetics. 

Surrounded by many of the children and young people from across the state who helped to design Nunga Oog, along with some of the artists, we celebrated three years of work to create a symbol that would let Aboriginal children and young people know we are there for them and that they have the right to connect to their culture, wherever they are and whoever they live with. So now, each time they see Nunga Oog, or hug their very own plush toy, we hope they will be reminded of their connection to culture, and that they should feel proud and strong for who they are.

As part of the celebrations, a Kaurna young person with a care experience, Syanne, performed the Welcome to Country and artist David Booth (a Warumunga/Yuggera man) played the Yidaki (didgeridoo) and shared cultural stories. We also had a test of strength with a tug-of-war with Oog vs Nunga Oog – it appears that Nunga Oog might need to strengthen those unused muscles!

A big thanks to Conrad Morris, Mardy McDonald, Melissa Phoenix, Bianca Turner, plus all the team for making the event such a success. And thanks to everyone who joined the celebrations, we hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as we did!

Here are some of our favourite photos from the day…