Indigenous knowledges / Sacred sites / Reclaiming identity on country / Languages / Spirituality / Cultural artefacts / Return of ancestral remains / Documentation of Indigenous heritage in all forms of media
Island ‘home’ again known by its rightful name, K’gari
08/06/23 National Indigenous Times: The traditional placename K’gari is officially back on the map almost 200 years after being replaced by Fraser Island in a sordid set of events. Click here to view article
Six decades, 210 Warlpiri speakers and 11,000 words: how a groundbreaking First Nations dictionary was made
25/05/23 The Conversation: Sixty years in the making, the Warlpiri Dictionary has been shortlisted for the 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards – a rarity for a dictionary.
The Warlpiri people have enabled their Voices to go into the future. Read this remarkable reclamation story Here.
Dozens of new illegal 4WD, bike tracks go over sacred Aboriginal sites in Tasmania every year, map shows
19/03/23 ABC News:
On Tasmania’s far north-west tip, you’ll find a rugged, ancient landscape. It sits close to the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area — which is also recognised by all levels of government as heritage that needs to be protected, history in need of urgent preservation. Click here to read article
Many of my own people tell me they don’t understand the Voice
19/02/23 ABC News: Wiradjuri people are rebuilding our nation. We are reviving our language and practising our ceremonies. We are deeply spiritual people. Our land is our soul. They want to know if the Voice will protect these things. Will the Voice lead to treaty? What about our sovereignty? Click here to read article
Yindyamarra Yirradhu marang ngadhu Yindyamarra–
Yindyamarra located within Charles Sturt University is a place where peoples meet: a non-partisan space where discussion is encouraged, and civil disagreement is welcomed.
We cannot live forever on the fumes of the 20th century. Through research, events, podcasts, and wider contributions to public discourse we will explore new ways of reforming democracy, achieving justice for First Nations peoples, and speaking back to the deeper moral and spiritual crises of our times
To explore more go to: https://research.csu.edu.au/engage-with-us/yindyamarra to select from Podcasts, Articles, Videos, Newsletters and more.
Indigenous Adelaide man makes movie history in Berlin
28/02/23 ABC Radio Adelaide: Adelaide-based Yankunytjatjara man, Derik Lynch has made history at the Berlin International Film Festival. Co-director of ‘Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black)’, the SA-made movie follows Lynch’s journey from the oppression of white city life in Adelaide, back home to his remote Anangu Community.
Murujuga: A place to be preserved for the sake of all humanity
13/02/23 National Indigenous Times: Tanya Plibersek Minister for the Environment, had the great honour of joining the collective Traditional Owners of Murujuga, the Ngarda-Ngarli people, and the West Australian government, in formally nominating this site for World Heritage listing. Murujuga contains over one million petroglyphs. This is the densest concentration of rock art anywhere in the world, with more being discovered every year. Still more sit on the ocean floor, evidence of a time when sea levels were more than 100 metres lower, and when dry land extended further west.
https://nit.com.au/13-02-2023/4957/murujuga-a-place-to-be-preserved-for-the-sake-of-all-humanity
Possum cloaks are undergoing a renaissance, but their history goes back thousands of years
29/12/22 ABC News: For thousands of years First Nations people in the south-eastern states of Australia wore the garment for warmth. They were also used for baby carriers, drums in ceremony, birthing and for burial. Now the cloak is enjoying a renaissance as a symbol of First Nations culture worn by Indigenous leaders at special events and in parliament. But the regal-looking gown is so much more than an art trend or fashion item.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-29/indigenous-possum-skin-cloak-culture-and-history/101739174?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=mail&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web New Australia Post processing facility unveiled with dual name in Traditional Language
New Australia Post processing facility unveiled with dual name in Traditional Language
10/12/22 National Indigenous Times: A new Australia Post processing facility has opened in Boorloo (Perth) with a dual name in the traditional language of the Noongar nation. The name translates to ‘home of the message stick’ and honours one of Australia’s oldest forms of communication and cultural diplomacy, the message stick. It comes as some First Nations women are working to create a digital database to identify Traditional Place Names across Australia.
After 25-year wait, victory for the Wirangu people’s Native Title claim in the Federal Court
12/12/22 National Indigenous Times: More than 25 years after registering a claim, South Australia’s Wirangu people have been officially recognised as the Native Title holders of part of the Eyre Peninsula. The determination culminates three sets of proceedings, the first beginning in 1997.
Historic native title decision celebrated in Cape York and Torres Strait
02/12/22 National Indigenous Times: After decades of struggle a historic native title consent determination has been formally handed down, recognising thousands of generations of shared history across Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait. It is the first time that First Nations peoples of the Torres Strait region have joined with First Nations peoples of mainland Australia to work together to seek to achieve recognition of their native title rights.
How traditional owners won court battle against gas giant Santos
08/12/22 Eureka Street: The gas giant Santos was hoping to make the judges of the Australian Federal Court see sense. The company had already failed to impress Federal Court Justice Mordecai Bromberg in his September decision, which found that the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority should never have approved the Barossa Gas Project off the Tiwi Islands.
Historical fish collection sheds light on Aboriginal fishing methods
30/11/22 ABC News Great Southern: Historic fish traps built by the Menang Noongar people on WA’s south coast are thought to be 7,000 years old
The company that bulldozed this sacred Aboriginal site had a year to apologise. It didn’t
12/11/22 SBS: “The site is gone, the site is gone forever,” said Andrew Starkey, who remains at a loss to understand why due diligence wasn’t undertaken. “What is so alarming to us is that they can get away with destroying our cultural heritage.”
Global First Nations solidarity vital to climate fight – National Native Title Council head at COP27
13/11/22 National Indigenous Times: National Native Title Council chief executive Jamie Lowe is at the COP27 conference in Egypt working with indigenous people from around the world to stand up for their rights. “We are over here working with indigenous brothers and sisters across the globe, speaking with them, particularly those in the Pacific on how climate change is affecting them as we speak, right now,” he said. “Our mob in Torres Strait have been impacted as water levels are rising, they are at the coal face of this. “We know also that our mob in remote areas in central Australia are affected, where the temperatures are rising.
These awesome Blak businesses are nailing it. Here’s their top tips
01/11/22 NITV: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses have never been stronger! But running a business isn’t easy. You’ve got to have grit, determination and a few tricks up your sleeve. Here’s a few handy tips from some awesome Blak business owners.
How Indigenous astronomers used the Super Blood Moon to teach cultural lessons
08/11/22 NITV: The pre-colonial skills of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander astronomers were astounding, so what did these scientists think of the nocturnal phenomenon?
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/how-do-indigenous-cultures-interpret-a-lunar-eclipse/sd1uijhd5
Decision on who will replace Queen Elizabeth on the $5 note looms
05/11/22 NITV: A majority of people want a local hero to replace to the late monarch, but who to choose from a legion of Blak icons?
Torres Strait climate change centre could put First Nations people in charge of nationwide mitigation efforts
05/11/22 National Indigenous Times: The Federal Government announced in its October budget it would provide $15.9 million over four years to design and deliver adaptation and mitigation action against climate change, including establishing the Torres Strait Climate Centre of Excellence. Torres Strait Regional Authority chairperson Napau Pedro Stephen said the centre would address the “very serious” issue of climate change facing the region.
Heard of guli or ganalay? These native grains could be the future of Australian farming
01/11/22: National Indigenous Times: The native grains industry is being strengthened thanks to a partnership between proud Gamilaroi man Les Knox and a University of Sydney research team.
‘We can write novels of memories made here’: Elder-led land restoration is about rebuilding love
21/10/22 The Conversation: Eliza is a 73-year-old Goreng Noongar Elder. She is visiting the nine-hectare reserve, sandwiched between industrial grain silos, a creek and a main road on the edge of Borden, a small farming town in Goreng Noongar Country in Western Australia. She is here with her cousins, younger family members and non-Indigenous research collaborator, Alison to share lessons about protecting and restoring Boodja (Country).
Batemans Bay Walbunja Rangers graduate from traineeship to help them care for country
21/10/22 ABC S.E NSW: Jedda and five other rangers graduated from the course in a ceremony in Batemans Bay on Thursday and are ready to start their careers in Indigenous Land Management. For many of the young people involved, graduating from the program means entering the world of adulthood and responsibility.
Walbunja Rangers Project Coordinator Andrew White said he saw an incredible shift in attitude from many of the young people he led through the program.”The best thing to do is give them that self-determination of working on country with their elders and finding their own journey in life.”
Aboriginal custodians to decide whether popular tourist track on sacred site will close
21/10/22 NITV Country: The landmark, also known as Mount Warning, has long been a contentious site. Visits to National Parks represent one of the largest economic contributors to the region. The government has established a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wollumbin Consultative Group which will guide the future of the park. The possibility of the summit’s closure has sparked comparisons to the cessation of Uluru walking visits in 2019. Tweed Shire Council Mayor Chris Cherry has said any closure of Wollumbin should happen in a similar manner, namely a process of transition to help local operators cope.
Aboriginal languages revitalised in NSW schools
17/10/22 Media Release NSW Education Department: Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said NSW is proudly home to more than 35 Aboriginal Language groups, and more than 100 dialects of those languages. “This is the first major redevelopment of how Aboriginal languages are taught in our schools in 20 years,” Ms Mitchell said. “The new syllabus gives students valuable opportunities to learn the language of their local area and develop an understanding of Aboriginal languages and cultures.
“For the first time students who speak an Aboriginal Language or Torres Strait Islander Language at home will be able to progress the study of that language at school.”
https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/aboriginal-languages-revitalised-nsw-schools
Aboriginal man laid to rest in moving ceremony 90 years after he was killed by police at Uluru
14/10/22 The Guardian: The families of an Aboriginal man shot and killed by police at Uluru 90 years ago, have finally laid his remains to rest at the base of the rock in a deeply emotional ceremony, with his descendants calling for an apology and compensation from governments and police. This final closure on a dark chapter of settler /First Nations history was made possible as a result of historian Mark McKenna’s research for his book Return to Uluru.
The Archaeology of Australia’s Deserts
18/10/22 Inside Story: To mark the recent passing of renowned Australian archaeologist Mike Smith, Inside Story has reprinted Tom Griffith’s 2013 review of this book which is a ‘powerful and enduring encapsulation of Mike Smith’s life work’. The Archaeology of Australia’s Deserts is writen for several audiences: for the world archaeological community, for his fellow Australians, and especially for the people who welcome him in their desert country. To his central Australian Aboriginal friends Smith said: “This is a rich history. It is something that sits next to the Dreaming. It doesn’t displace it, it doesn’t replace it, but it’s a rich history here, it’s something to be proud of… “
https://insidestory.org.au/a-landmark-work-of-australian-history/
Aboriginal languages get massive boost in NSW curriculum overhaul
17/10/22 NITV Culture and Language: For the first time ever, Indigenous kids who speak language at home will get the chance to further their knowledge at school.
Brenda Mitchell has been a language educator for three years. Having taught at Wilcannia Central School, the Paakantji woman says she occasionally gets a pleasant surprise from old students. “The kids still recognise me, and they say ‘Ngayi!’, which is ‘hello’ in our language.” Similarly enthusiastic parents in and around Broken Hill have told her that their kids are speaking language around the house.
The Torres Strait Islanders fighting to save their homes from the rising tide
18/10/22 The Point NITV: Rising sea levels on his home of Saibai Island have sparked Uncle Paul Kabai to take the federal government to court over climate change inaction. “I will take this voice as an Indigenous person to the government and tell them what our needs are,” he said. “If the government won’t listen to us and the sea level is rising we’ll be climate change refugees . . . We will be moved to mainland Australia and we’ll have lost everything – our culture, even our identity we’ll have lost.
Pride turning public perception for Pilbara town once described as a “war zone”
Ieramugadu (Roebourne) is telling its truth through song and it is empowering a community battered from the outside. While the news interest has waned in recent years, high profile commentary about the town being a “haven for pedophiles” and “like a war zone” are still raw to the largely-Indigenous population.A host of prominent Elders, aided by community-led programs and Aboriginal organisations, have worked hard to restore pride within town. Among them is Yindjibarndi Elder Allery Sandy, a prominent artist who spends much of her time with Ieramagadu’s youth on myriad creative projects.
13YARN: Nationwide Indigenous helpline launches
01/04/22: SBS NITV: 13Yarn is funded by the Australian Government with the support of Lifeline and developed in collaboration with Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia.
The 13Yarn Service (13 92 76) is available across the country 24/7 from any phone.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/13yarn-nationwide-indigenous-helpline-launches/h0ozsj1eq
Patrick overcame the lowest point in his life. Now he’s sharing his story to help others
12/10/22 SBS NITV Mental Health: A group of Mparntwe men are speaking out about their battles with mental health and how they found strength in their families, communities, music, recycling and each other. Patrick is one of a number of senior men from Alice Springs’ Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group who shared his experiences in a new video. The group works alongside the town’s Women’s Safety Group in primary prevention. Both parties strive to break down gender stereotypes in communities and provide safe spaces for healing and connection.
‘No compromise’ on dual naming as First Peoples’ Assembly hands Maroondah hospital petition to Dan Andrews
06/10/22 National Indigenous Times: The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria took to the steps of Premier Dan Andrews on Thursday to hand over a 50,000-signature strong petition to not change the name of Maroondah Hospital. It comes after Mr Andrews in September announced a re-elected Labor Government would rename the hospital in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Indigenous Cultural Adventures Wiradjuri Cultural tours and camps | Bush tucka | Catering and events
Local Indigenous man, Gerald Power, founded the company in September 2016, with a vision is to share the heritage and cultural knowledge of the region’s Wiradjuri nation with both visitors and residents alike.
Indigenous Cultural Adventures Tours is a company based in Orange in Central New South Wales, and has been established with the blessing and approval of local Wiradjuri Elders.
Visit their website: https://www.indigenousculturaladventures.com.au/
Singing the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and Alex G’s menagerie
01/10/22 ABC Radio National: Elizabeth Sheppard and Sonya Holowell are the two First Nations Composers who have been commissioned by the Song Company to respond to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in a program called Songs from the Heart. Elizabeth and Sonya join Andy to reveal their two distinct approaches to capturing the principles and emotion of the statement in music. The interview begins at Count: 02.23
Listen to the interview at: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/elizabeth-sheppard-sonya-holowell-song-company-alex-g-album-god/101481458
Learn about Sydney’s Aboriginal history as you walk Country
City of Sydney Our History and Our heritage: Yananurula a Sydney AborIginal language word that translates to ‘walk country, is a 9km curated walk from Pirrama (Pyrmont) to Wallamool (Woolloomooloo). Eleven markers highlighting significant Aboriginal people and places have just been installed along the route, using Aboriginal place names. The markers are the first component of the long-term project that will bring Aboriginal histories and stories to life through public artworks and installations along the Sydney Harbour foreshore.
Walkers can follow the route and find out more about each site using the Yananurala walk on our Sydney Culture Walks app.
For further information about this walk and other tour operated Sydney Aboriginal history sites visit: https://www.cityartsydney.com.au/city-art-public-art-strategy/yananurala/
UN Human Rights Committee finds Australia violated Torres Strait Islanders’ rights by failing to protect them from climate change
23/09/22 ABC: The groundbreaking finding by the UN Human Rights Committee was made in response to a complaint filed in 2019 by eight Torres Strait Islanders from the small, low-lying islands of Boigu, Poruma, Warraber and Masig. The Islanders argued that rising sea levels have already damaged food sources and ancestral burial sites on the islands, scattering human remains and putting homes at risk of being submerged.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-23/un-finds-australia-violated-torres-strait-islanders-rights/101470524https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-23/un-finds-australia-violated-torres-strait-islanders-rights/101470524
Tiwi Traditional Owners victorious in landmark court case
21/09/22 SBS/NITV: Dennis Tipakalippa, who launched the legal action, said, we want Santos and all mining companies to remember – we are powerful, we will fight for our land and sea country, for our future generations no matter how hard and how long.”
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/tiwi-island-victorious-in-landmark-court-case/aef6ni3cq?dlb=%5b2022/09/21%5d%20del_newspm_bau&did=DM17967&cid=sbsnews:edm:acnewspm:relation:news:na:nahttps://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/tiwi-island-victorious-in-landmark-court-case/aef6ni3cq?dlb=%5b2022/09/21%5d%20del_newspm_bau&did=DM17967&cid=sbsnews:edm:acnewspm:relation:news:na:na
These Warumungu men will be bringing home precious artefacts from overseas, 100 years after they were taken
19/09/22 SBS/NITV: The objects were taken from Warumungu community in the Northern Territory’s Tennant Creek region by British-born anthropologist Baldwin Spencer and telegraph station master James Field sometime in the late 19th century. Now, through negotiations, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies’ Return of Cultural Heritage (RoCH) team has confirmed the return of the six Warumungu objects.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/these-warumungu-men-will-be-bringing-home-precious-artecfacts-from-overseas-100-years-after-they-were-taken/k95bp6hmwhttps://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/these-warumungu-men-will-be-bringing-home-precious-artecfacts-from-overseas-100-years-after-they-were-taken/k95bp6hmw
Aboriginal artist Allan McKenzie paints coffins using vibrant dot-painting techniques
18/09/22 ABC: Gamilaroi/Wiradjuri artist Allan McKenzie said that when a really dear friend of his lost his son, one of the comforting things I could give back to him as a gift from my spiritual side of my connection to his son, was to paint his casket.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-18/artist-allan-mckenzie-creates-aboriginal-dot-painting-coffins/101442502?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_webhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-18/artist-allan-mckenzie-creates-aboriginal-dot-painting-coffins/101442502?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_web
Uncle Jack Charles, Indigenous actor and activist, dies aged 79
13/09/22 The Guardian Australia: Indigenous actor, musician, artist and activist Uncle Jack Charles has died at the age of 79. His publicist confirmed on Tuesday morning Charles had suffered a stroke and died at Royal Melbourne hospital. The beloved Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta elder was farewelled by family with a smoking ceremony at the hospital.
Arnhem Land languages to enter Atlas of Living Australia
02/09/22 NITV: Keen Arnhem Land students both young and old will now be able to search the Atlas of Living Australia for information about native plants and animals in their own language. Some 2500 entries were translated into eight Aboriginal languages, with school students, researchers and curious wildlife observers now able to search for them in their local lingo, alongside Latin and English.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2022/09/02/arnhem-land-languages-enter-atlas-living-australia
Wangan and Jagalingou traditional owners use human rights law to occupy Bravus’s Carmichael Coal Mine
28/08/22 ABC: Within a large stone Bora circle, a ceremonial fire has been burning non-stop for the past 365 days, attended continuously by a member of the Wangan and Jagalingou people.
What next for NCIE? Stakeholders reveal how community will have say in Redfern Indigenous centre’s future
24/08/22 National Indigenous Times: Redfern locals will finally have a say in conversations about the future of the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence from next week, according to former Aboriginal social justice commissioner Mick Gooda.
Deep in remote Northern Territory, culture and colour comes alive in a tiny Aboriginal town
24/08/22 National Indigenous Times: I begin my journey to Barunga Festival in Darwin, and it’s not long before I’m cruising through Noonamah, surrounded by wide open country.
Failure to decriminalise Indigenous cultural fishing in NSW contradicts Closing the Gap targets, inquiry hears
19/08/22 ABC: The failure to implement cultural fishing legislation in NSW has worsened the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people, a state parliamentary inquiry has heard.
Redfern Indigenous excellence centre ‘stuff-up’ shows why government needs to put us in the driver’s seat
12/08/22 National Indigenous Times: There’s no doubt Indigenous self-determination is the only way forward for our people. The recent National Centre of Indigenous Excellence stuff-up highlights why self-determination is the only way forward for First Nations.
Indigenous community stage sit-in to protest the closure of National Centre for Indigenous Excellence
10/08/22 City Hub: Community members staged a sit-in on 8th August to protest the closure of the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence (NCIE), a place that has provided vital community support and services to the Indigenous population since reopening its doors to the public in 2010.
Friday essay: a slave state – how blackbirding in colonial Australia created a legacy of racism
05/08/22 The Conversation: In July 2021, Jack Dempsey, the mayor of Bundaberg, delivered an official apology for Northern Queensland’s past reliance on the indentured labour of Pacific Islanders, many of whom were kidnapped (or “blackbirded”) and forced to work on the state’s cane plantations. “To say sorry,” explained Dempsey, “is a start in the healing and the hope for a better relationship going forward.”
Success of Koori Mail flood response in Lismore prompts calls for First Nations first responders
04/08/22 ABC: When Lismore was hit with its biggest flood in recorded history, national Indigenous newspaper the Koori Mail responded quickly to the needs of the community.
Aboriginal staff laid off, youth left in limbo as ‘inspirational’ centre abruptly closed
01/08/22 SBS NITV: Young Aboriginal staff are being offered “small amounts” of money to leave their roles quietly, after a decision by owners to shut down operations at Redfern’s National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.
Learning culture at Arnhem Land’s bush uni creates pathway to Sydney’s Macquarie University
30/07/22: ABC: The day nearly always starts with ABBA, loud enough to be heard from the beach, where crocodiles guard the coast. “You mob … class time,” Penny Yibarbuk hollers as Dancing Queen wraps up.
Noongar language is being used to slowly heal the cruel history of Rottnest Island
29/07/22 SBS NITV: Western Australia’s ‘holiday island’ is beginning to acknowledge its painful past as an Aboriginal prison and the site of Australia’s biggest loss of life through deaths in custody.
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape opens doors to World Heritage area cultural tours
22/07/22 National Indigenous Times: Budj Bim Cultural Landscape has begun offering Aboriginal cultural tours at the World Heritage-listed area in Victoria’s south-west.
Martu ranger Yuddiy recognised among world’s best at International awards ceremony
29/07/22 National Indigenous Times: Martu man Ben “Yuddiy” Brown has been named one of the world’s leading rangers by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature who held an awards ceremony in Kigali the capital of Rwanda, Africa.
Aboriginal flag to permanently fly on Sydney Harbour Bridge
11/07/22 BBC: The Aboriginal flag will now permanently fly on one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks, after a five-year campaign by advocates.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62117317.amp
Aboriginal cultural tourism boom signals new era of reconciliation
10/07/22 ABC: Trisha Ellis has spent her lifetime learning and teaching her Brinja-Yuin culture. After a childhood “hanging around the elders all the time”, she has been a TAFE teacher for more than 35 years and worked with her siblings to revitalise the Dhurga language.
Indigenous Tasmanians calling on private landholders to share access to cultural sites
09/07/22 ABC: Northern Midlands farmer has opened his farm to local Indigenous groups to give access to significant cultural sites, prompting a call by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre for more farmers to do the same.
Indigenous languages being taught to 10,000 West Australian school kids
04/07/22 ABC: The 24 Aboriginal languages being taught across WA now have around 10,000 students, up significantly from 6,000 just two years ago.
Aboriginal flag to fly permanently on Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge
04/07/22 SBS: The Aboriginal flag will have a permanent home atop Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge within days.The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have flown on a rotational basis above the West Gate Bridge during Reconciliation and NAIDOC weeks since 2019.
Climate change poses ‘real and substantial’ threat to Torres Strait Islanders, Chris Bowen says
29/06/22 SBS: Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen says climate change poses a “real and substantial” threat to Torres Strait Islander communities ahead of a visit to meet with traditional owners about their concerns for their Country.
Eddie Mabo’s grandson Kaleb continues legacy with work to restore Mer Island
27/06/22 ABC: On a trip to his ancestral home on Mer Island, Kaleb Mabo made a promise to himself.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-27/eddie-mabos-grandson-kaleb-continues-legacy/101181420
The significance of these very rare Aboriginal shelters has been revealed
23/06/22 SBS: The “very rare” archaeological significance of Kokatha Aboriginal sites within a government weapons testing facility has been revealed, according to an unpublished report obtained by SBS News.
New program to share First Nations knowledge in the classroom
06/05/22 National Indigenous Times: First Nations educator and Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp and Landcare Australia have developed ten new First Nations learning activities for the junior Landcare program.
https://nit.com.au/new-program-to-share-first-nations-knowledge-in-the-classroom/
‘Long journey’ culminates in land hand-back for NSW Traditional Owners
06/05/22 National Indigenous Times: On April 30 the Mount Yarrowyck was renamed Bulagaranda Aboriginal Area and returned to the Anaiwan and Armidale Local Aboriginal land councils at a ceremony.
https://nit.com.au/long-journey-culminates-in-land-hand-back-for-nsw-traditional-owners/
Feds urged to intervene as derided WA heritage law places Seven Sisters songline ‘at risk’
06/05/22 National Indigenous Times: Federal intervention has been sought to protect two culturally significant areas linked to the fabled Seven Sisters songline in Western Australia from proposed mining projects.
Ambitious plan revealed to put Traditional Owners first in zero-extinction NT parks plan
29/04/22 National Indigenous Times: The draft NT Parks Masterplan released last week outlines a 30-year management model for the 85 parks and reserves in the Territory, including measures to improve Indigenous engagement and economic development, preserve native species, and grow tourism.
New national park in WA’s Kimberley region welcomed by traditional owners
28/04/22 ABC: Traditional owners hope the declaration of a new national park in WA’s Kimberley region will create jobs and protect the river system from future development.
Yakka Munga Station land clearing three-year probe ends in warning for Chinese company
26/04/22 ABC: The West Australian state government has issued a Chinese-owned company accused of illegally clearing bush in the Kimberley with a “letter of warning” after a nearly three-year investigation.
Aboriginal shield returned to country 60 years after croc hunters ‘collected’ it from banks of Mitchell River
26/04/22 ABC: A shield, used during traditional stick fights between Aboriginal men of the Kowanyama region, has been returned to country more than 60 years after it was “collected” by a group of crocodile hunters.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-26/aboriginal-shield-return-kowanyama-60-years/101007930
In a land scarred by mining, Elders weave rugs to reclaim Ngurra
21/04/22 National Indigenous Times: Born out of being surrounded by gaping mining holes left on their Ngurra, Ngalia elders in Leonora are taking the grief from mining and sealing these holes with a large-scale, vibrant artwork using woven rugs.Born out of being surrounded by gaping mining holes left on their Ngurra, Ngalia elders in Leonora are taking the grief from mining and sealing these holes with a large-scale, vibrant artwork using woven rugs.
https://nit.com.au/in-a-land-scarred-by-mining-elders-weave-rugs-to-reclaim-ngurra/
Indigenous fishing club transforms neglected water storage ponds into community fishing lagoons
23/04/22 ABC: An Indigenous fishing club has united with a water corporation to transform two decommissioned reservoirs into community fishing lagoons.
Wayne Quilliam: Photographing the diversity of Aboriginal Australia
22/04/22 BBC: Aboriginal photographer Wayne Quilliam has been travelling across Australia for 30 years, documenting its hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-australia-61033360
National Folk Festival returns with a focus on celebrating Ngunnawal language after two years of COVID-19 cancellations
16/04/22 ABC: Artistic Director Katie Noonan said her focus for the festival was on connecting to Ngunnawal country through the sharing of language on stage, a focus that has seen many of the artists performing songs in Ngunnawal language. This year’s festival was opened by iconic First Nations singer-songwriter Uncle Archie Roche, and will be closed by First Nations band Yothu Yindi.
Ancient remains to be reburied at Lake Mungo, ending decades-long campaign
11/04/22 NITV: The decision to rebury the remains of 108 Aboriginal people, including Mungo Man and Mungo Lady, has been welcomed by some, but has also inspired disappointment.
Traditional Owner-led dig unveils 50,000-year links
09/04/22 NITV: A West Australian archaeological dig has confirmed Aboriginal people have lived in the eastern Pilbara region for more than 50,000 years. The project, commissioned by the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation with funding from Rio Tinto, is the first ever Traditional Owner-led, non-mining related heritage excavation on Yinhawangka Country.
Bunya Mountains land purchase to renew connections to old ways
07/04/22 NITV: The return of a property to Traditional Custodians in South Queensland’s revered Bunya Mountains will re-establish a connection to a traditional gathering dating back tens of thousands of years.
The Mountains have always been a sacred place where thousands of Aboriginal people from hundreds of kilometres away would follow songlines to gather every three years to coincide with the harvesting of bunya pine nuts.
F1 giant McLaren and Daniel Ricciardo to feature Australian Indigenous charity Deadly Science on grand prix cars
05/04/22 ABC: This weekend, the charity that provides science books and early reading material to remote Australian Indigenous communities will have its logo beamed around the world.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-05/mclaren-to-feature-deadly-science-logo-on-f1-cars/100964280
Investigation into missile found at Aboriginal heritage site ‘could lead to international scrutiny’
05/04/22 SBS: Multinational weapons maker Saab could soon enter negotiations with a group of Traditional Owners after an unexploded anti-aircraft missile was found in a heritage area in South Australia and first revealed by SBS News and NITV.
‘Australia’s silk road’: Quarry sites dating back 2,100 years reveal world-scale trading system on Mithaka country
05/04/22 ABC: In the heart of Mithaka Country, in Queensland’s Channel Country, traditional owners and archaeologists have unearthed what researchers have dubbed “Australia’s Silk Road”, dating back at least 2,100 years. Mithaka cultural landscape will be assessed for national heritage listing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-04/-mithaka-cultural-landscape-silk-road/100959802
Nearly half of Kakadu National Park to be handed back to Aboriginal traditional owners
24/03/22 ABC: For several decades, almost 10,000 square kilometres of the World Heritage-listed park in the Northern Territory have been the subject of four separate land claims. On Thursday afternoon, the long fight for formal recognition will end when the Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt delivers the deeds of title to local elders.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100933290
NT traditional owners take legal action over Santos’s Barossa gas project north of Darwin
23/03/22 ABC: Traditional owners in the Northern Territory say they have launched international legal action to try to block one of the biggest projects announced in the Australian oil and gas sector for almost a decade.
Sacred headdress returned to Lardil people after 50 years abroad
22/03/22 SBS: A ceremony in Canberra has marked the official return of a traditional Lardil headdress to the people of Gununa (Mornington Island), marking the end of a 50 year international journey.
Indigenous custodians work with universities to bring bush foods and remedies to market
19/03/22 ABC: Iningai custodians in Western Queensland have benefited from nature’s “homemaker centres” in the bush for thousands of years, and now they are partnering with universities to take bush foods and remedies to market.
Ancient campfires reveal a 50,000 year old grocer and pharmacy
17/03/22 University of Western Australia: Led by UWA PhD candidate Chae Byrne, the research was the first of its kind in the region and examined charcoal from ancient campfires in desert rock shelters to learn about the earliest uses of firewood in Karnatukul (Serpents Glen) in Katjarra (the Carnarvon Ranges)
Connections to Sea Country: Cultural fisheries program to be launched for Tasmania’s Aboriginal people
17/03/22 SBS: Establishing a cultural fisheries program in Tasmania was a recommendation made in the state’s Pathway to Treaty report published last year.
Survivors’ plan to turn place of trauma into house of healing gains global backing
02/02/22 National Indigenous Times: An abandoned boys home which for 50 years enabled mass cultural genocide of Stolen Generations children in New South Wales has been recognised as a globally significant precinct to preserve.
CEO Secrets: Mikaela Jade of Indigital shares her advice
02/03/22 BBC Business: Mikaela Jade, founder and CEO of Indigital, Australia’s first Indigenous Ed-tech company, shares her advice. Ms Jade was a park ranger in Australia when she hit upon an idea. Use the latest immersive technologies to bring stories about the history of Indigenous people to life.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-60523038
After years of negotiations, Traditional Owners in Cape York will now be able to enjoy the cultural and economic benefits of their ancestral lands.
26/02/22 NITV: It has been called one of the most “significant purchases” in Queensland history, and will add to 3.85 million hectares across Cape York, with all of the land now owned and managed by Traditional Owners.
‘On our own terms’: Anaiwan people look to buy 240 hectares of bushland to reclaim country
23/02/22 The Guardian Australia: The Anaiwan people of the New England high country in New South Wales have taken matters into their own hands in the fight to reclaim Indigenous land, running a successful crowdfunding campaign to buy a privately owned bush block.
Coalition announces new $19m Beetaloo Basin gas support after previous grants ruled invalid
22/02/22 The Guardian Australia: The Coalition has re-announced almost $20m for fracking company Empire Energy, a firm with links to the Liberal party, just two months after a court ruled a previous issue of the grants was invalid.
Snapchat partners with First Languages Australia to release new lenses
21/02/22 MediaWeek: Snapchat has announced it has partnered with First Languages Australia to launch a series of language learning Lenses that help raise awareness and educate young Aussies on Australia’s first languages and Indigenous culture.
Wayapa Wuurrk: Connect to the earth through this Indigenous mindfulness exercise
27/01/22 SBS: Wayapa Wurrrk, a mindfulness practice steeped in ancient Indigenous wisdom, combines movement and meditation to encourage participants to feel a connection to the earth.
Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, Indigenous Australian advocate and actor, dies aged 85
27/01/22 The Guardian: Amnesty International Australia Indigenous rights advisor Rodney Dillon called her “a staunch warrior for our people – her depth of knowledge of her country as well as the political arena was remarkable and her legacy is profound.
Indigenous languages are disappearing These linguists are trying to stop that
21/01/22 ABC: There are more than 250 Indigenous languages in Australia but, according to a AIATSIS 2018–19 survey, only 123 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are still in use. Of those, only about 12 are relatively strong and being taught to children.
To be Murri is to know that even at your loneliest you are never truly alone
28/12/21 The Guardian Australia: We know each other in a deep, timeless sense. When we yarn the only measurement of time we keep is in cups of tea
Aboriginal language educators ‘devastated’ by sacking days before Christmas
18/12/21 NITV: Former staff are seeking legal advice after at least 30 Aboriginal Language Educators were dismissed over a Zoom call.
Calls for funding boost to preserve Indigenous dialects as languages rapidly disappear
17/12/21 SBS: Indigenous languages are quickly disappearing as dialects vanish in Australia at a world-leading rate.
WA Cultural Heritage Bill passes without amendment
15/12/21: National Indigenous Times: Despite grave concerns raised by Aboriginal land councils, legal experts, investor groups and the United Nations, Western Australia’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act was passed unamended overnight. Senator Pat Dodson has described this outcome as ‘the tyranny of cultural genocide’
https://nit.com.au/breaking-wa-cultural-heritage-bill-passes-without-amendment/
Statues of Indigenous leaders Bennelong and Barangaroo unveiled in Sydney
12/12/21 SBS: Bronze statues of Aboriginal leaders Bennelong and Barangaroo have been unveiled in Sydney. The busts, which frame the door at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in The Rocks, were unveiled by NSW Governor Margaret Beazley who urged Australians to gain a greater understanding of their achievements.
Aboriginal heritage alliance to advise Australian government on law reform
29/11/21 The Guardian: The new group held its first roundtable meeting with environment minister Sussan Ley and the minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, on Monday. It will look at ways to reform legislation, and at how to set standards for states and territories to follow.
Historic ruling hands massive tract of Cape York land back to traditional owners
25/11/21 ABC: In a landmark case, 2,188 square kilometres of land have been handed back to Kuuku Ya’u and Uutaanlanu people.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-25/cape-york-handback-court-ruling/100649138
Maralinga nuclear tests: descendants of displaced buy shares in company planning WA uranium mine
29/11/21 The Guardian Australia: The descendants of people displaced by nuclear testing at Maralinga bought shares in a company planning to build a uranium mine on their country, in order to lodge an in-person objection to the project.
‘Blackbirder’ Ben Boyd’s name to be removed from National Park
15/11/21 About regional: Ben Boyd National Park near Eden will be renamed in the language of Traditional Custodians, recognising the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the area.
https://aboutregional.com.au/blackbirder-ben-boyds-name-to-be-removed-from-national-park/
NSW’s first Indigenous bilingual school is set to open next year
09/11/21 SBS: The Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School, based in Coffs Harbour, will teach kindergarten to Year 2 classes in both Gumbaynggirr language and English.
Why these Torres Strait Islanders are filing a class action against the Australian government
26/10/21 SBS: Paul Kabai’s ancestors have lived on the islands of Boigu and Saibai for over 65,000 years. Now, he fears an escalating climate crisis could flood the islands, forcing local
The rebirth of Tasmanian Indigenous culture
25/10/21 BBC: Although many people believe that this ancient culture and people were lost, recent years have seen a seismic shift in recognition for Indigenous Tasmanians.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20211024-the-rebirth-of-tasmanian-indigenous-culture
For more than a century, this sacred treasure was hidden in a New Zealand swamp before being spirited away to Europe. This is how it was returned.
20/10/21 ABC: On October 3, 1977, five-year-old Graziella Ortiz-Patino was kidnapped by Italian criminals.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-20/stuff-the-british-stole-motunui-epa-new-zealand/100501452
Call to reject Evans Head Iron Gates DA over failure to recognise Indigenous heritage
21/10/21 The Echo: The Federal inquiry into the appalling destruction of the 46,000-year-old Australian Indigenous cultural heritage site Juukan Gorge has found that this was not ‘unique’.
Why Indigenous people cannot be aliens in their own land
22/10/21 SBS: Last year, we wrote an overview of the High Court decision in Love, Thoms v Commonwealth. The case concerned whether the Commonwealth had the power to deport two Aboriginal men who were born overseas.
Failures at every level: changes needed to stop destruction of Aboriginal heritage after Juukan Gorge
19/10/21 The Guardian: When Rio Tinto exploded Juukan Gorge, a 46,000-year-old site of global cultural and archaeological significance, it broke the hearts of traditional owners, appalled the nation and blew its own reputation into pieces.
Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite – erasing American Indians and sanitizing history instead
08/10/21 TheConversation: Many events these days begin with land acknowledgments: earnest statements acknowledging that activities are taking place, or institutions, businesses and even homes are built, on land previously owned by Indigenous peoples.
‘Historically significant’ return to country for generations of Kullilli people
04/10/21 ABC: For some among the generations of Kullilli people who made the 11-hour trip from the Sunshine Coast to Thargomindah last month, it was the first time they set foot on their traditional land.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-04/kullilli-people-return-to-thargomindah/100506104
Queensland’s Daintree rainforest to be returned to Indigenous Traditional Owners
29/09/21 SBS: Four national parks including the Daintree rainforest will be handed back to Traditional Owners, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, in a historic deal with the Queensland government.
Songlines and stolen children: lessons from Indigenous Australians
21/09/21 The Guardian UK: Margo Neale is feeling proud. “Here we are,” she says, “250 years after the British set out to colonise and civilise us, taking our culture to the British – to teach them how to survive in this fragmenting world.”
Paradise found as World Heritage Area reinstates traditional name
20/09/21 NITV: The Butchulla word for paradise, K’gari, will be restored as the official name of Fraser Island after approval from the World Heritage Committee.
Ancient Aboriginal storytelling turns digital
09/09/21 NITV: Tired of negative stereotypes, a small community in the remote Western Australian outback has taken back control of its narrative in the most remarkable way.
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/09/08/ancient-aboriginal-storytelling-turns-digital
WA traditional owners fear proposed heritage law puts sacred sites at risk
08/09/21 SBS: Traditional owners are calling for a redraft of the Western Australian government’s proposed Aboriginal heritage law, which will allow the state government to have the final say on what happens to sacred sites threatened by mining.
“If we care for Country, it will care for us”
27/08/21 Inside Story: Uncle Vic Simms stood in front of the crowd gathered to launch the Guriwal interpretive trail in Sydney’s Centennial Park last May. “This land is your land as well as our land,” the Bidjigal man from La Perouse told the crowd, welcoming them to Country. “We all belong.”
https://insidestory.org.au/if-we-care-for-country-it-will-care-for-us/
Walk, think, listen, hear on Gadi Country: Sydney’s new harbourside walk
18/08/21 SMH: Sydney’s first harbourside walk dedicated to Indigenous history has a new name that calls on the city’s latter-day residents to walk with the spirits of Aboriginal ancestors.
‘Healing for our people’: Iman celebrate return of grinding stone after 45 years
30/07/21 The Point: The Star of Taroom spent nearly half a century sitting in a Brisbane backyard and now it has been walked 500 kilometres back to Country.
New $5m training centre dedicated to healing Country to open at Curtin University
05/08/21 NITV: An exciting new Indigenous-led research centre dedicated to healing Country will open at Curtin University in 2022.
https://nit.com.au/new-5m-training-centre-dedicated-to-healing-country-to-open-at-curtin-university/
Aboriginal communities fear their culture will be lost amid Northern Territory cotton boom
30/07/21 SBS: Ngangiwumirri elder Patricia Marrfurra McTaggart has grown up on the banks of the Daly River. Fishing, hunting and gathering provide a link to her culture and Country.
Aboriginal advocates welcome rejection of controversial cable car on Hobart’s kunanyi/Mt Wellington
28/07/21 SBS: Members of Tasmania’s Aboriginal community are celebrating news the Hobart City Council has rejected a development application for a cable car to be built on kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
The plan to bury Mungo Man and Mungo Lady pains some traditional owners – and the man who found them
25/07/21 The Guardian Australia: It might have seemed relatively uncomplicated half a century ago to take the ancient remains of Mungo Lady and Mungo Man from the dry bed of the Willandra Lakes in New South Wales.
A journey down WA’s mighty Martuwarra, raging river and sacred ancestor
06/06/21 The Guardian Australia: A Nyikina man, Mark Coles Smith, and his fellow travellers began their 400km journey down the mighty Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) on a flood plain covered in giant spiders. “Bird-sized” spiders were clinging to the canopy, jostling for space on branches protruding above flood water that stretched for kilometres in every direction.