Summary

White and black plastic travel mug, with Women on Farms Gathering Horsham 2004 logo, packed in black cardboard box, given to participants in their Gathering bag upon registration.

The mug is a very practical recurring ritual of the Gatherings, whereby each participant is given a mug and must then use it for all catering events over the weekend, thus eliminating the need to hire extra crockery and someone to wash-up. It is also a souvenir to take home, reminding the participant of the Gathering weekend.

Part of Museums Victoria's Invisible Farmer Project Collection. The Invisible Farmer Project was the largest ever study of Australian women on the land, uncovering the histories and stories of Australian women in agriculture and addressing the absence of rural women in mainstream histories and museums. It began as a pilot project (2015-2016) and evolved into a three year (2017-2020) nation-wide partnership between rural communities, academic, government and cultural organisations, funded by the Australian Research Council.

Physical Description

White plastic insulated travel mug, with matt black plastic base, rim with handle and screw on lid with sliding mouthpiece cover. Interior is shiny black plastic. Pink WOFG Horsham 2004 logo is on front of mug. Blue logo of State Government of Victoria, Department for Victorian Communities is on the back. Packed in a plastic bag inside a black cardboard box. Box has white barcode label on back. Made in China.

Significance

This mug was given to all participants at the 2004 Horsham Women on Farms Gathering. A key feature that unites all Victorian Women on Farms Gatherings is the tradition of giving gifts and souvenirs to participants. These gifts are usually handed to participants at the beginning of the Gathering during registration, and range from practical items - such as this travel mug - to other assorted items that are associated with the region that the Gathering is held, such as local foodstuffs, pamphlets and handcrafted goods. This tradition of gift-giving allows the local organising committee to showcase their region's produce, as well as to make their guests feel welcome from the outset of the Gathering weekend.

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