Nilmini De Silva, WugulOra Smoking Ceremony (PEOPLE 2023)

It seems fitting that the WugulOra (One Mob) ceremony heralds the start of celebrations on Australia Day at Barangaroo. This is Gadigal Land and the ceremony is a reminder that First Nations people are the caretakers of the oldest living culture on Earth. Everyone is invited to be cleansed in the smoke, which paves the way for the dances and sharing of culture that follows. We felt honoured to participate in this ancient ceremony. I have captured these images with the Sydney Harbour bridge in the background—a reminder of the colonial history that has overshadowed indigenous people since Europeans came to Australia.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.