Bonnie Fagan facts for kids

Bonnie Fagan, also known as Bonnie Chew, is an important leader and advocate for her Indigenous heritage in Australia. She has worked to protect and celebrate the culture of her people, the Wadawurrung. She was even a member of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.

About Bonnie's Early Life

Bonnie Fagan was born in 1979 in Footscray, Victoria, Australia. She is part of the Wadawurrung community, an Indigenous group. When she was eight years old, in 1987, her family moved to Talbot, Victoria. Bonnie went to primary school in Talbot and high school in Maryborough. In 2012, she married Andy Chew.

Bonnie's Work and Career

Working with Wadawurrung Culture

From 2008 to 2011, Bonnie Chew was the Cultural Heritage Coordinator for the Wadawurrung (Wathaurung Aboriginal Corp). The Wadawurrung people are the traditional owners of the land around Ballarat and Geelong. Bonnie worked with many different people, like archaeologists and government groups, on about 126 projects. Her main goal was to help protect the Wadawurrung cultural heritage.

Helping Indigenous Students at University

Between 2011 and August 2016, Bonnie Chew managed the Aboriginal Education Centres at Federation University Australia. She helped Indigenous students with their learning needs across different campuses. She also taught Indigenous Studies. Bonnie often performed welcoming ceremonies for the Wadawurrung elders. These included important events like the Ballarat Sitting at the Parliament of Victoria in 2012. In 2012, she also launched a plan to help bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together at the university.

Joining the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council

In December 2012, Bonnie Chew was chosen to be part of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. This Council has up to eleven traditional owners. They are chosen by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. All members live in Victoria and have experience in managing cultural heritage.

Representing Ballarat in Vietnam

In April 2012, Bonnie Chew represented the City of Ballarat at a big meeting in Vietnam. This meeting was the 13th World Conference of the League of Historical Cities. The conference talked about "Defining Universal Heritage Challenges and Solutions." Bonnie and the Mayor of Ballarat gave a painting by Albert Fagan, a Wadawurrung elder, to the Mayor of Hue City, Vietnam.

Sharing Knowledge Through Speaking

In 2010, Bonnie spoke at a workshop called "Cultural Heritage and protocols from Wadawurrung’s perspective." This was part of a gathering about managing land together.

Bonnie's Artwork

A painting created by Bonnie Chew was used on the cover of a book. The book is called Pedagogies for the Future: Leading Quality Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. This artwork is now part of the Federation University Australia Art Collection.