Teenagers are jumping into the kitchen and performing stories of Country on Friday night to raise funds for youth programs running in their community.
Serving Up Stories is more than 12 months in the making, with local young people putting countless hours into planning, even gaining food handling certificates, to deliver the event in Geelong structured on a social enterprise model.
All proceeds will go back to the local Karroong Kanyool Youth Hub. The hub, its name meaning 'home of the young' in Wadda Wurrung language, was opened in 2024.
Its three main programs are their primary school age mentoring, high school aged youth group, and Kadna Kawa ('to climb a mountain') Leadership Academy operating out of the space in Norlane.
Karroong Kanyool Youth Hub is an important space for young people to connect with culture, community and one another, and celebrate who they are, Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative Youth Services Manager Lily Edwards explained.
The hub's goal has been to "provide opportunities to celebrate blak excellence and challenge stereotypes". It's exactly what Friday's event is set to achieve, Ms Edwards said.
From the start it's been 11 to 17-year-olds from Kadna Kawa and the youth group planning, project managing and budgeting for the event.
They've created a three course meal incorporating traditional foods and contemporary flavours, with input from Indigenous-owned tea and coffee producers Blak Brews, which they will cook and serve on the night.
The young people have also worked with Traditional Owners to develop and narrate stories of local lands and waterways they will perform, with support from Malkar Cultural Services.
It's been billed as a cultural immersion dining experience.
"Through storytelling, you'll learn about the Creation of Country, hear how the birds got their colours, and discover the story of how the blue-tongue lizard came to carry its striking blue tongue," Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative said in a statement.
A Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country will open the event, with guests invited to participate in the movement rhythms of a corroboree later in the evening.
"Providing opportunities for young people to have access to training and hands-on experience while they bring their own dreams and ideas to life is so beneficial," Ms Edwards explained.
"Seeing the self belief coming through the young mob as they start to see it all coming together is huge. Allowing them to find their own leadership qualities in a space that shows them all of the different ways that they can shine is extremely empowering.
Norlane Aquatic Recreation Centre in Northern Geelong hosts Serving Up Stories.
