Anindilyakwa Land Council’s

Ayakwa

One People. One Voice. anindilyakwa.com.au

INSIDE THIS ISSUE• ASAC’s Art

Projects

• Bush Medicine comes to Angurugu

• All things Fruit and Veg at GEAT’s Market Garden

• GEBIE’s Christmas Elves coming to Community

Eulogy for the late Mr. WurramarrbaWalking proudly in two worlds, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, Mr Wurramarrba always kindly shared his wisdom, vision and time with a wide range of people.

Born in 1934, Mr Wurramarrba was familiar with the early days of the Church Missionary Society on Groote Eylandt. An extensive work history included time as a Diver on the mission lugger, where he gained an intimate knowledge of the seas of the Groote Archipelago. Later, as a Seaman, Mr Wurramarrba travelled internationally from the Torres Strait to the east coast of Africa. As a Community Leader, he presided over the Angurugu Community Council in the 1980’s, was Head Gardener in the CMS market garden, and head of site security for GEMCO mine. His vision led to the recent establishment of the Aged Care Centre in Angurugu and the Angurugu Men’s Shed.

Widely respected throughout the Northern Territory as a strong Anindilyakwa and Nunggubuyu ceremony man, Mr Wurramarrba was also a brilliant artist and craftsman, and a passionate advocate for Anindilyakwa and Nunggubuyu cultural tradition. While much of Mr Wurramarrba’s art enshrined highly significant cultural themes, some of his more contemporary pieces contained messages of reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding. His loss will be deeply felt across the Territory and beyond.

On behalf of the Northern Territory Government and the Anindilyakwa Land Council, we extend our condolences and sympathies to Mr Wurramarrba’s family and friends.

Newsletter | Issue no. 2 December 2015

Photo: East Wind and West Wind ready to go.

Salt Lake Band Sings Stories of HomelandsMatt Blyth’s film clip captures the Salt Lake Band peforming an acoustic set, on the edge of Umbakumba Bay. The haunting melody and catchy rhythm sent me on a journey to meet Gilbert, the man behind these soulful sounds.

The Salt Lake Band consists of six members, Rubensten, Shane, Rickson, Brendan, Elvistair and Dave. Together they produce the sounds of North East Arnhem land. Taking you on a lyrical journey of their homelands, theirs is certainly a sound to keep an ear out for. Festivals such as GARMA and others around the Top End are set to showcase the six, who travel with three charismatic dancers complimenting their music perfectly.

Photo: Scott Wurramaburra leads the fishing expeditions.

Groote Lodge Hits Bucket List for TouristsGroote Eylandt is set to become a high end tourism destination, according to Dennis Winchester of the Groote Eylandt Lodge. Given its rare and unique location, a fresh market focus on boutique environmental and Indigenous cultural experiences is expected to place it high on ‘bucket lists’ for tourism adventures.

Since taking over Groote Eylandt’s Lodge (previously the Dugong Beach Resort) in 2011, Dennis and wife Louise have been instrumental in changing the name, the idea and the market drivers behind the business. After extensive consultations with Traditional Owners, led by Lionel Jaragba and Joaz Wurramara, they arrived at the new name ‘Groote Eylandt Lodge- ‘Enena Angalya’, translated as ‘my place’. ‘The Lodge’ for short.

This past year has seen The Lodge gradually draw in tourism interest through their Fishing Charter boats aptly named East Wind (‘Warnindilyakwa Arrarra’) and West Wind (‘Inungura Arrara’). These

rare experiences have caught the attention of publications such as Qantas in-flight magazine and Airnorth in-flight magazine. Another interesting market innovation is a focus on the lucrative corporate market for Corporate Business Retreats. The prospect of long, dull meetings in The Lodge’s well equipped board room can now be tempered with a day or two on the water, fishing one of Australia’s best kept secrets.

The Lodge is very eager to recruit Indigenous staff, with interests in anything from hospitality to garden maintenance or even being a part of the fishing charter team. Appropriate training will be included for the charters. Traditional Owner, Scot Wurramarrba has provided great cultural insights adding to the overall tour experience.

Working closely with the University of Queensland, future tours may even take in the unique bird life of the island and included the homes of our small, endangered Quolls.

Photo: Brandon Yantarrnga , Salt Lake Band member.

Issue no. 2| December2015 pg. 2

Bananas Underpin Hopes for Food SecurityUpon arrival at GEAT’s market garden in Angurugu, I was surprised and impressed at the vast mass of incredible produce on display.

After hearing about NT’s diseased bananas and lack of production, I was suprised to learn that here at our very own market garden in Angurugu, that Superfood - the humble banana - was being pumped out in the hundreds. With staff numbering around seven, the mass scale of this farm now sees them working hard each day to put food on our tables.

I was fortunate enough to receive an excellent tour of the garden, given by Daniel Miniyawai who has been part of the market garden team since 1985. Daniel explained the stories of nurture behind each and every fruit and vegetable tree, right from the very trees he planted and grew, to his tricks for keeping snakes away by planting lemongrass.

The market itself is a non-profit organisation, a purely charity fuelled project. In fact all community members can come and and collect a box of fruit and veggies for free. The team are also providing

priority Aged Care clients in Umbakumba, Bickerton and Angurugu, as well as the Angurugu School, with fresh produce each week. Adding to nutritional intake at what are a critical points in people’s life cycle, can only ensure positive health outcomes.

As the local shop pumps up prices on what is not always ‘fresh’ food, it’s not hard to walk past a free box of fruit and veggies from around the corner.

Luke Silvester, the CEO of GEAT, is wanting to eventually expand this operation, fitting in perfectly with ALC’s 15 year plan for long term food security on the island, post-mining. Anyone interested in becoming a part of this ripper team and a growing organisation, can volunteer to help achieve their goal of increasing the possibility of healthy fresh fruit and veggies for everyone!

Any Alyangula mob interested in purchasing local produce, a $20 fresh box is available by calling GEAT administration on 8987 7800. Also, the Market Garden Stall sells fresh produce weekly, just across from the Alyangula store.

Photo: Daniel Miniyawai and his prized bananas.

Photo: Rows of new season’s fruit .

pg. 3Issue no. 2| December 2015

Red flags soared in a spiritual sunset ceremony of song and dance.

Issue no. 2| December2015 pg. 4

A story told by the late Mr. WurramarrbaWhen I was young, growing up we learn in the bush – eating the bush tucker. But we learned from Balanda how to use axe and mattocks. We also learn the names of fruits like watermelon. We used to plant paw paw, lettuces, cabbages. We used to dig them with a little hoe. We got water and put it into a 40 gallon drum. It was hard carting that water, sawing timber. We learn from those hard times. Now we sitting down enjoying ourselves.

My father used to growl me to learn things, and I think - ‘I show him when I grow up’. When I grew up I was a boatman in and out of Roper, to Darwin. I enjoy life, going to islands. I enjoy the bouncing sea and the waves. We only had canoe before. The Maccassans teach us how to make dugout canoe. Now days we got lots of motor boats but in those days we never had those. But I work on that big boat then. We used to bring smoke back to the island from the boat because no one had tobacco then.

One day I was on a boat coming from Thursday Island and I think one time, ‘I’m going to drive this boat in the future.’ And then later I did drive that boat.

There is a lot of danger on the land and sea. On the land there’s snakes and on the sea there’s grouper and shark, octopus; but there’s fish that help you too.

One helping fish is pilot fish. If that disappear you

gotta stand (stop) because he warn you something dangerous there. Maybe shark, maybe grouper. This is wonderful fish. He is an understanding fish. You can learn from him. When the pilot fish disappear you know there’s danger ahead. Lots of time I say ‘thank you very much’ to that fish because he showed me where danger is.

One day I was down diving for pearl. Diving with a suit and a long tube to breath air. I was right down on the bottom of the ground under the sea. There was a big grouper. He was a very big one. He could eat you from head to foot. There was nowhere to hide, no rock or tree down there.

I think, ‘What am I going to do? Maybe I’m going to die here. What way am I going to save my life?’ I touch the bottom and make some dust with my hand. The dust goes out and the grouper starts to follow that dust. But then he comes back again and I pray to God in my heart to help me. And then I start to walk a little bit and make some dust and a stingray start to follow me and make more dust; a big dust comes up.

I get away from that grouper and then I pull that rope to give a sign for the people on the boat to pull me up and they pulled me up. After that three grouper try to follow me, trying to come up and get me but I say to them, ‘too late now’. I am safe. I praised god I was saved from danger.

pg. 5Issue no. 2| December 2015

Safe House becomes House of HealingBritt Hollingsworth has been working with ASAC to give the old ‘safe house’ in Angurugu a complete re-vamp, turning it into a Bush Medicine Healing Centre.

Britt’s vision is to create a traditional healing centre focusing on traditional techniques, using bush medicine and food to hone a holistic state of mind and body.

It will be a place to meet and connect with people, not only through holistic medicine but also through the

workshops that will coincide with ASAC’s Art Centre initiatives. The Healing Centre will also eventually become a social enterprise, inevitably sourcing natural remedies to create soaps and natural health products which will be made available for purchase by the broader Groote Eylandt community. Beginning with Angurugu and Milyakburra, Britt sees the centre eventually branching out to include Umbakumba.

The Healing Centre will be open early next year.

Schools Embrace Learning on Country ProgramA recent article by the Indigenous Affairs Minister, Nigel Scullion points out that in independent reviews of the LOC program he, “found it is helping Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander students to maintain a strong sense of cultural identity while improving remote school attendance”.

Working across Angurugu, Bickerton, Umbakumba and Alyangula schools, the Learning On Country Coordinators, Jeff Paul and Nikki Kuper, are executing an alternative teaching and learning program that provides the space to learn about Country, on Country. Overseen and supported by a community of Teachers, Assistant Teachers, ALC Rangers and Principals the LOC program is driven by culture, conservation and land management. Unique to North East Arnhem Land, LOC aims to showcase traditional Indigenous culture with the added benefit of empowering Indigenous communities.

LOC also encourages schools to explore the Eylandt utilising the ALC Land and Sea Ranger’s equipment, including boats and a fleet of vehicles. The LOC team runs approximately two activities a week, which often includes day or overnight camping trips. The recent employment of the second LOC Coordinator (Nikki) in November will seee the LOC program expand in 2016. Next year will herald a new program model enabling Jeff and Nikki to work as a team across all schools.

Photo: Natural plants used for bush medicine.

Photo: Teaches and Rangers with kids on a LOC day.Photo: Jennifer and Holly Yantarrnga at Rarrararra on Bickerton Island.

Issue no. 2| December2015 pg. 6

This week if you see GEBIE staff wearing Santa hats pull up at your house with Christmas tunes chiming, you’re in for a special treat.

The team behind GEBIE’s Social Program have compiled together a massive hamper including the likes of Christmas Cake, frozen veggies, pork roast, chocolates, apple pie, tea and coffee and that’s not even the half of it!

Angurugu will be seeing GEBIE’s elves this

coming Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th at Umbakumba, following shortly after with Bickerton on Friday the 18th. Including all the Outstations in between. This is the very first time GEBIE has run this merry deliverance and hopefully will continue on with this cheerful tradition in the coming years!

Keep an ear out for those carols in the next couple of weeks.

GEBIE’S CHRISTMAS ELVES BRING HAMPER TREATS TO COMMUNITY!

ALC’s Christmas cheer on the Arts DeckFor ALC’s last rendezvous of the year, Mark Hewitt and Tony Wurramaburra saw to it the Indigenous employees from the Indigenous Corporations attended ALC’s Christmas Party on the deck at ASAC’s Arts Centre.

With a spread of roast meats, salads and delicious desserts, Mark touched on the positive stories coming out of Groote in the past year. The sentiment being that even through the bad times, we need to remember that positive stories are being issued by Groote’s own people, via their organisations. 2016 will no doubt present exciting new challenges in areas as diverse as housing, health and art! On behalf of the ALC, we would like to wish all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2016.

pg. 7Issue no. 2| December 2015

Ph 08 8987 4010Fax 08 8987 4098info@alcnt.com.au

30 Bougainvillea DrivePO Box 172Alyangula NT 0885

anindilyakwa.com.au

Published by Editors and Contributors:Katie Hagebols & Roina Williams

Textiles to Silk StylesDark grey clouds rolled across Umbakumba Bay, constrasting deeply with the red sand, giving inspiration to ladies dying silk scarves with the natural colours of the Northern Territory.

The Anindilyakwa Arts and Culture Centre have facilitated plant dye workshops in Angurugu and Umbakumba with the engagement of well known Artist, Aly De Groot over the past few months. Aly has introduced ghost net weaving to the community artists in 2011 and has been keen to get back and renew her involvement in arts development within the community. Aly will be returning again in 2016 to conduct a final series of workshops. Anyone who is interested in new mediums and techniques is welcome and invited to attend.

Recently, Alfred Lalara, Alice Durilla and Trevor Brown attended the ANKAAA Regional meeting at

Maningrida Arts Centre. While there, they provided an update on the activity of the Anindilyakwa Arts Centre and also participated in discussions around the issues facing Art Centres generally. The artists visited the Barrabba Women’s centre and the Djomi Museum which has one of the finest collections of artefacts in the Northern Territory. Both places were inspirational and demonstrated the viability of Aboriginal Art as a substrate for community cohesion and engagement.

Lorna Martin, outgoing Arts Manager, has tirelessly re-negotiated the Groote Eylandt community’s engagement with the arts over the past six months, helped hugely by the lovely, Meg Grosse and the artist attendees of workshops. Congratulations to the team and participants on great work over the past few months. Watch this space for more arts!

“Dark grey clouds rolled across Umbakumba Bay constrasting deeply with the red sand.”

Photo: Waiting for tie dyes to dry on the line.

pg. 8Issue no. 2 | December 2015