Aboriginal Projects
2005 Aboriginal Projects
Educational Cross-Cultural Tour with Aboriginal Traditional Owners in Arid Lands
Participants from across Australia were given a unique opportunity to interact with indigenous communities usually prohibited or difficult to access. Thanks to Friends of the Earth and financial support from the Mary MacKillop Foundation, participants received first-hand knowledge of Aboriginal beliefs in regard to their land and a broader understanding of the land’s fragility and need for spiritual custodianship.
Through the recognition of Aboriginal values and understanding, the participants’ own experiences were shaped by the richness of indigenous wisdom and culture. But the most profound experiences were the times of personal discussion with indigenous Elders and their communities. The tour cultivated support for Aboriginal custodianship of traditional lands and provided a deeply personal introduction to the complexities of current Native Title legislation. Through an understanding of Native Title, the tour emphasized the urgent need for Aboriginal land rights.
The tour also provided an opportunity for indigenous families to come together on their traditional lands and share stories, not only with the participants, but with generations within their own family. This was especially the case for Kokatha elder, Mrs Eileen Wingfield who is now only able to visit the traditional lands of her people with increasing rarity.
The project was enormously successful in granting its participants a deeper understanding of environmental issues in South Australia’s far north and their enthusiasm was taken back and shared with their own communities. Many are now committed to issues relating to the environment, indigenous welfare and Native Title.
Joel Catchlove
For Friends of the Earth.
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