Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation
Western Australia
Black Diasporas Boorloo–Perth is a community-led project that documents the spaces, places, and experiences of people of African heritage living in Boorloo–Perth. The outdoor exhibition at the Museum of Western Australia and digital map (BlackDiasporas.com), brought community stories into the public realm.
The exhibition creates a welcoming environment for listening, gathering, and reflection, using modular elements and seating to support shared experience and connection. The 574 oral narratives, and 10 short films offer insight to Black life and the urban fabric of this city. By situating these stories in the outdoor civic space of the Museum of Western Australia, the project extends access beyond traditional gallery audiences and invites the public to engage with narratives that are often overlooked.
Black Diasporas Boorloo–Perth demonstrates how culturally responsive design can foster connection, care, and recognition within civic space. The project supports community visibility, institutional engagement, and public learning.
The Black Diasporas Perth happening at the WA Museum was the first time, at least in my experience of being Black and African in Australia, where a space like the museum was open to our experiences. We were able to take over the space and tell our stories and discuss our issues as a community, in ways close to how we grew up doing. It also allowed the wider WA population to witness that and participate. It was my first time engaging with the museum, because I never imagined it as a space I could belong to or contribute to.
Kholisile Dhliwayo, Design Architect
Sandra Githinji, Designer
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