Aboriginal Way Aboriginal Way

During this week's program we spoke with Reconciliation SA CEO Jason Downs about the not-for-profits involvement with National Reconciliation Week.



The listed events run between May 27 - June 3rd, with the dates commemorating the passing of the 1967 referendum (May 27) and the anniversary of the landmark Mabo decision (June 3).



This year's theme is 'Now More Than Ever', with a focus on expanding reconciliation efforts despite last year's referendum result.



For event details and general information about NRW head along to https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/

A time of healing, for women and for Country.

Imagine a gathering solely for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from all over Australia to come together in celebration of the unique role they share in caring for Country.

The National Indigenous Women's Fire Workshop, Ngangkirna Kardlatidli: Women with Fire, was recently held on Kaurna land for Indigenous women to share important knowledge they have gathered over generations about safe practices of fire and land management.

Hosted by the Kaurna Fire Team, Kaurna Elders and Firesticks, three days of workshops spanned topics from creative Indigenous practices to governance, Indigenous cultural intellectual property rights and community self-determination.

Aboriginal Way spoke to event organisers and participants about their experiences, starting with proud Barkindji woman Nancy Bates, following her session Addressing Colonial Violence: Calling it in and Calling it Out.

The practice of managing Country with fire has returned to Wirraparinga (Brownhill Creek) on Kaurna Country.



During April, a Firesticks team including Clem Newchurch, Paul Dixon Jr and Quahli Newchurch carried out a cultural burn in an area of Kangaroo Grass at Wirraparinga (Brownhill Creek) for the first time in hundreds
of years.



Among those who attended these significant burns were
involved Kaurna people, community members, students, politicians, and the Governor of South Australia, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC.



During this episode AW spoke with Clem Newchurch from Firesticks Alliance, Brownhill Creek Association community engagement officer and project manager, Ron Bellchambers and Uncle Jeffrey Newchurch.

The 40th anniversary of the historic Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Land Rights Act has been acknowledged during the long-awaited Kulilaya Festival at Umuwa.

The event took place on March 24, after facing delays due to the outbreak of COVID, and saw musicians, visual artists and performers present their history and stories through song and dance to commemorate the occasion.

Since putting ink to paper on the self-determining APY Lands Act in 1981, Anangu have held freehold title ownership of their Country, returning the right of self-governance and allowing Traditional Owners to determine how their land is managed.

The Act was one of the first to be granted in Australia and
remains a unique example of freehold title negotiated between Traditional Owners and the SA government.

Interviews included in this podcast are SA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Kyam Maher, Greens Senator Tammy Franks, APY General Manager Richard King, SA Health’s
Director of Aboriginal Public Health, Damien Shen, APY head of maintenance, Daniel Omenzetter and multi media archivists John and Dora Dallwitz.

During this program we will be playing a variety of
interviews recorded at Wallaroo during an engagement meeting between Narunga Nation, the
Department of Infrastructure and Transport and global freight company and grain exporter, T-Ports.

We attended the group consultation in order to provide a
picture of what it can look like when companies and departments engage with Traditional Owners on a large scale project.

Across the course of the day we spoke with Narungga leader and traditional owner, Peter Turner, Narungga chief executive officer Doug Milera, T-Ports CEO Nathan Kent, and executive director for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Graham Jackson.

George Cooley is a senior man and community leader from Coober Pedy. He holds leadership positions across the Umoona and Coober Pedy communities and is a talented artist and opal miner.


He paints the spectacular desert landscapes of the Kaṉku-Breakaways, an area in northern South Australia that figures prominently in the creation stories and sacred songlines of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people. 


The important site 25km north of Coober Pedy, is known for its spectacular hills, mesas and plains.



Mr Cooley's work is currently featuring at the 18th Adelaide Biennial of Australia Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia.



The Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art: Inner Sanctum is curated by Jose Da Silva, with 24 leading artists and poets featured in an exhibition at the AGSA until June 2.