yagan memorial park

Last week saw the opening of the Yagan Memorial Park in the City of Swan in conjunction with the conclusion of NAIDOC week.

It was marked with a ceremony for the long awaited burial of the head of the warrior Yagan.

Yagan lived during the first years of the Perth Swan River colony; he was a warrior and leader of his people. After he was killed in July 1833 his head was preserved and given to the British museum. The burial of Yagan’s head signifies the conclusion of many years work by the Derbal Yerrigan Committee and as another step forward for reconciliation.

The Yagan Memorial Park has been funded by the Department for Indigenous Affairs and much of the work has been carried out by Aboriginal horticultural trainees.

The park is open to the public and there are hopes it will become one of the states key cultural resources.