Badu Gili: Story Keepers

Badu Gili - meaning ‘water light’ in the language of the traditional owners of Bennelong Point, the Gadigal - is a free nightly experience that explores First Nations stories in a spectacular six-minute projection on the Opera House’s eastern Bennelong sails.

Watch the sails illuminate nightly from sunset with Badu Gili: Story Keepers, a new animation celebrating the work and stories of local and international First Nations artists - Mervyn Street, a proud Gooniyandi man, and Kinngaimmiut Inuk storyteller Ningiukulu Teevee. 

Mervyn's distinctive artistic practice draws upon his lifetime as a stockman in the Kimberley and advocacy of cultural preservation through language and living on Country. While Ningiukulu creates visual art rooted in Inuit myths and legends, keeping traditional stories alive while offering her unique perspective on Inuit culture.

As a celebration of the rich history and contemporary vibrancy of Australia’s First Nations culture, Badu Gili continues the traditions of Bennelong Point, formerly known as Tubowgule (where the knowledge waters meet), a gathering place for community, ceremony and storytelling for thousands of years.

An important pillar of the Opera House’s year-round First Nations program, Badu Gili is an essential Sydney cultural experience for both visitors and the local community that aims to foster and celebrate a shared sense of belonging for all Australians.

Read the Sydney Opera House Reconciliation Action Plan.

Badu Gili is presented in collaboration with the Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain