Indigenous

It has been 40 years since the small Barkly community of Canteen Creek was established and the residents are in celebration mode. Set on Alyawarr land around 180 km southeast of Tennant Creek, Canteen Creek was established by Raymond Butcher Mick who wanted to move his family from town back to the bush to develop a strong connection to the land.

Minister for Water, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health, Youth and the North Coast, the Hon. Rose Jackson, MLC, visited Wilcannia on Wednesday 26th June to hear residents’ thoughts on the process taken in changing the design of the proposed new weir. Walking freely and looking comfortable, the Minister made herself known to each person she came across gathered around the Memorial in Baker Park.

A new sculptural public artwork by Kabi Kabi artist and cultural leader Lyndon Davis will fittingly welcome visitors to Sunshine Coast City Hall with a story that is significant to the region’s First Nation’s people. Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli unveiled the piece today (July 1) ... “The 4.5 metre tall work titled Dura Gunga (Mullet & Sea Eagle), embodies the rich cultural narrative of the Kabi Kabi people,” Mayor Natoli said.

This week, we shine a spotlight on Lorraine Gibson Napaljari, who has chosen to assist others in unconventional yet deeply impactful ways. Lorraine, a Stolen Generation member, made a life-altering decision four years ago ... the pursuit closest to her heart is supporting Elders in navigating the challenges of daily life.

The Albanese Labor Government has ... launched a world-leading water ownership program for First Nations peoples in the Murray-Darling Basin, delivering on an election commitment. Under the Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program, the government has made $100 million available to buy water in the Basin, with First Nations representatives to determine how that money is spent.

Narrandera High School Year 12 student, Tahlia Gilbert, has been named Riverina Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander VET Student of the Year for 2024. She now moves on to the state finals. Tahlia is in her final year of her school-based traineeship - Certificate III Human Services with Murrumbidgee Local Health District working at the Narrandera Hospital.

The great didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton and powerhouse violinist Véronique Serret blend song lines and storytelling in Heartland, a compelling collaborative work that will tour the Darling and Sunraysia regions this June ... Supporting this tour is Music in the Regions, who, across their three years of operations have made a mark on regional NSW, successfully touring world class classical music…

Casino filmmaker Jon Bell has had a huge year with his first feature film  The Moogai. In January, it was screened at the  Sundance Film Festival  in Utah, United States. The Moogai  is an Australian horror film showing the ongoing trauma of the Stolen Generations through a bogeyman terrorising a family.

NT company Sitzler has been awarded the tender to construct the National Aboriginal Art Gallery. Site preparation and first stage construction works are set to rollout in the coming weeks, according to a government media release.

Central Darling Shire Council has received a project update on the Baaka Cultural Centre. The development of the $9.5 million Baaka Cultural Centre at Wilcannia is a regionally significant project. It is being funded by the Australian and NSW governments.

John Williams. There are over 15 thousand names of towns, suburbs and regions in Australia. Below is a list of place names in the Nhill region along with an explanation of how they were christened by European settlers ... Albacutya ... Goroke ...Nhill ... Tarranginnie ... Aboriginal word for man with sore feet ...

Sarah Herrmann. Kadina Memorial School created its biggest whole-school artwork yet as part of National Reconciliation Week ... More than 1400 students’ and staff members’ handprints went into creating a rainbow eucalyptus tree on a large canvas ... “It looked quite bleak when it was just a few little handprints… but once we got a third of the primary school on there you could see it start to take shape."

Ted Sterle and Don Fuller. The explosion of type two diabetes, obesity, kidney disease  and renal failure among remote and closed NT Aboriginal communities – at least 10 times the incidence among non-Aboriginal people – can be tracked to poor lifestyle choices not only within individuals: Such acquired changes can be passed on to the offspring down generations.

Joanna Tucker. Yorke Peninsula’s premier national park will be hosting an open day for the Narungga community and other visitors to learn about co-management as part of Reconciliation Week. The Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park co-management board is hosting the event ... Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation director Jay Milera ... has been practising art for more than 15 years ...

Wilya Janta, an Aboriginal Housing consultancy has recently taken another step forward with their plans for sustainable housing in Tennant Creek and remote communities. They have taken a 60-year-old abandoned brick-making machine and given it a new lease on life.

A woman who has thrown her hat into the political ring has vowed to guide a community-led response to deal with crime and social disorder problems that are plaguing Tennant Creek and other communities across the Barkly. Lizzie Hogan from Borroloola has today been formally announced as the Territory Labor Barkly candidate for the 2024 Territory Election ... Speaking exclusively to the Tennant & District Times ...

Araluen’s Independent Member has pressed the NT government to disclose the construction costs of dwellings in the bush after media statements last year indicated there may be a flood of $1.5m mansions across remote regions ... Ms Lambley, following a request by the [Alice Springs] News, submitted what’s called “written questions” to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, which happens to be Chief Minister Eva Lawler.

Artist Uncle 'Deadly' Arthur has been transforming Wyreema State School, last Wednesday completing various pieces of Indigenous artifacts around the school environment.

In a fitting opening, two local residents cut the ribbon to declare the new $9m Maari Ma Aboriginal Health Care building officially opened. Shirely Evans and Ngearie Cattermole cut the ribbon and then the cake ... With the holistic concept of the centre, Maari Ma is providing culturally appropriate health services.

Joanna Tucker. Local artist and past winner of an Our Mob exhibition award Cedric Varcoe has been sharing his culture through creative avenues for decades, and you may have already seen examples of his work. Mr Varcoe, who grew up at Point Pearce, has been painting since he was a child, inspired by his family, the stories of the Narungga and Ngarrindjeri people...