About the Event
First Lights – Kinjarling illuminated the Albany sky across three unforgettable evenings, bringing ancient Menang stories to life through an extraordinary fusion of storytelling, drone technology, light and sound.
Created by Menang Custodians and artists, each performance shared a different Creation Story connected to significant places across Menang Country. Audiences experienced Kaawar – Koi Kyenunu-Ruff, inspired by Averil and Lindsay Dean with Kim Scott; Borongur, developed by Vernice Gillies and Larry Blight with Cass Lynch; and Mamang Koort, created by Kim Scott, Iris Woods and Olivia Roberts. Narrated by the custodians of these stories, the performances invited thousands of people to experience Menang culture through a contemporary artistic medium while recognising stories that have been shared for tens of thousands of years.
The evening drone shows were complemented by Kinjarling Reflections, a series of guided cultural walks, conversations and sound journeys led by Menang Elders and knowledge holders at significant locations across Albany. Together, these experiences offered participants a deeper understanding of Country, culture and the enduring connections between people and place.
As one of the signature events of Albany 2026, First Lights – Kinjarling embodied the program's commitment to centring Menang voices, acknowledging the region's much deeper history, and creating meaningful shared experiences that encouraged reflection, learning and connection.