Which Aboriginal Culture Groups belong to the Willandra Lakes region, giving them the right to speak and act for that Country?

Western Heritage Group’s new book, Country, Ancestors and Responsibility records information that Elders shared with us in the 1980s, showing that five Groups have ancient cultural ties to that Country. That’s a unique way of belonging; but there’s an outreach to non-Aboriginal people too.

Suzanne Hall, President of Western Heritage Group and a custodian of the Willandra Lakes.

“Our Culture is our bloodline, our life. Mungo is the bloodline: that’s where it all began for Parrintyi, Paakantyi, Ngiyampaa, Yitha Yitha and Mutthi Mutthi people. It’s a spiritual thing; it connects the Mobs as well as connecting us all to Country.

But Mungo’s a learning place for white people who enjoy going there. It’s a look into our past for them, they can see how we lived long ago and how peaceful it must have been out there.”

Pam Greer, Secretary of Western Heritage Group and a custodian of the Willandra Lakes.

“I love what other Aboriginal people are sharing: in particular, saying that Mungo belongs to everyone, including non-Aboriginal people and visitors.

Because Mungo is a magic place.

If you go there once, you want to go back again. When I’m in the Visitors’ Centre and see photos of our Elders, I think “This is where I need to be.”

Michael (Mick) Kelly, a custodian of the Willandra Lakes

“We all belong to the Land.

No matter what your race, colour or gender, we all belong.

We need to make that clear, as there’s too much focus on differences and separation.

So the power in the word “Belonging” is that power to say, ‘I belong’.”

Ancient Ancestors buried at Mungo – Endless study or reburial?

At Lake Mungo, there are many graves of Ancestors who belonged to that Country in ancient times. Our book records traditional beliefs about the sacredness of burials and looks at the practice of archaeology in the Willandra Lakes region from the 1960s to the present day.

Should study go on indefinitely or should there be reburial?

Our book contains a moving explanation of the 2022 decision to rebury the 42,000-year-old Ancestors known as Mungo Woman and Mungo Man.

Debbie Evans, Public Officer of Western Heritage Group and a custodian of the Willandra Lakes

“Mungo Lady and Mungo Man were originally buried ceremonially as significant people and they were dug up without permission, removed and treated as objects.

Now they have been reburied with dignity and ceremony, so everything has been set.”

Warren Clark, a custodian of the Willandra Lakes

“There’ll be a lot more burials exposed in the future – the Willandra Lakes is a big area and there were a lot of people living out there.

If scientists come across more remains, they’ve got a place to study them at Mungo now.

They can take them there and do what they have to do, then bury them near where they found them.”

How to make this important book widely available?

So far, we’ve only been able to print enough copies of this full-colour, 120-page book to give one each to the many contributors. But we are now seeking funding for a big re-print, to make this precious information widely available to those interested in Mungo and its Aboriginal Culture. 

Country, Ancestors and Responsibility is a summary and update of our much larger work, The Mungo Report (begun in 1985). Its first 7 chapters can be viewed online. Mungo Report

This article appeared in Wilcannia News, April 2025.