BHP fostered an opportunity to bridge Indigenous cultures in Australia and Chile through a memorable event held in Santiago last week.
VP of Corporate Affairs for BHP in Latin America, René Muga emphasised the company's commitment to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities as a core part of its purpose.
"Our purpose at BHP is to bring resources and people together to make a better world," he told National Indigenous Times.
"I think this is a very good expression of how we could improve relationships between different people from different continents - from such distant places. That makes us very proud to be part of this effort - when you put in effort and resources and bring people together.
"There are still many things we have to develop, but there is an understanding to bring the culture of our Indigenous peoples forward to be considered and preserved. That is the goal of these types of events"
The First Nations Fashion Show and Cultural Exchange which ran from the 19th to the 21st of June 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Chile and Australia.
The three-day celebration featured a dynamic program of cultural exchange and creative collaboration.
Leading the delegation was First Nations fashion brand Kirrikin, which lit up the runway with two showcases at Santiago's iconic La Moneda Cultural Centre, featuring their finest archival pieces from the last decade.
Noongar performers Dylan Shillito and Derek Nannup brought Country to the stage, captivating audiences with traditional music and dance.
Kirrikin founder Amanda Healy also hosted a dedicated workshop, offering Chilean creatives and entrepreneurs valuable insights into storytelling through fashion and the development of Indigenous-led businesses.
The event also included an immersive workshop exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, led by Shillito and Nannup, further deepening the cultural connection between First Nations peoples of Australia and the Indigenous communities of Chile.
Croatian/Australian filmmaker Peter Pecotic also presented his film Countryman, which follows Pecotic's journey retracing his late father's 1958 road trip, which transforms into a powerful cross-cultural journey as Warumungu artist Joseph Williams reconnects with his Croatian heritage and deepens ties to Country.
Head of Indigenous Engagement at the Latin America BHP, Cristhian De la Piedra Ravanal added that a major focus for the company is fostering integrated dialogue to shape a more unified long-term strategy, through its Indigenous Plan.
"As a company, we are working in a long-term agreement with communities, but we want to go further than that... The idea is to bring all the action, ideas and projects in order to have a more integrated plan for the long term," he said.
Also speaking on the plan, Principal of Indigenous Engagement at BHP in Latin America, Beatriz Sandoval Marmolejo said: "It's also very central to the approach that has been sort of built in BHP around co-creation."
"So this plan is going to be an effort to deepen the co-creation process with communities, where we'll set out to build projects or programs that are based on what they are actually interested in and what they need, and actually respond to the context and their territory," she said.
The exchange which was sponsored by BHP, Warrikal, The Australian Embassy in Chile, La Moneda Cultural Centre and the National Museum of Australia was a spectacular showcase of culture and collaboration, honouring the richness of two nations Indigenous cultures.
Warrikal sponsored National Indigenous Times' attendance at the historic Indigenous cultural exchange.