Indigenous

Birrang Enterprise Development Company is bringing its Driver Licence Access Program (DLAP) to the back country, in the final outreach services for 2024. The program will be available in Wilcannia ... and Balranald … a free program providing support to people in NSW who face extra challenges in getting a licence.

Rainer Chlanda. Those who work in the social service sector in Alice Springs, as I do, know this fact intimately: there is an incredible amount of money funding our response to a community who have incredibly little. Our system watches as desperate people stumble and waits for them to fall before extending a paternalistic hand or one gripped around a gavel.

Narrandera Shire Council, in partnership with the Narrandera Aboriginal Elders Liaison Group, officially opened the Wiradjuri Honour Wall at Marie Bashir Park in Narrandera on Saturday. This event celebrated and honoured the rich cultural heritage and achievements of the Wiradjuri people. Wiradjuri elder Aunty Jennifer Johnson had the honour of cutting the ribbon...

If the various State and Federal Ministers for Agriculture really want to make a statement that offers opportunities for Aboriginal people, then start with the existing 40 million hectares of the Indigenous-owned estate and unshackle them from the dead hand of government bureaucracy and red and green tape. But such a move would give the few Indigenous Australians who live on these properties real self-determination, the right to own their own land outright, access to capital and the right to get rich or go broke ...

The Cad Factory, National Museum of Australia and Petaurus Education Group are delighted to announce the launch of the River Country tour in Narrandera this month. River Country explores the cultural, creative and spiritual connections with Murray-Darling rivers and wetlands.

The Northern Rivers Conservatorium is pleased to host Women Of Song in its Concert Room ... Women of Song is an authentic show of conversations and songs, articulating First Nations cultural practice in the here and now, live on stage. It's an innovative new show, developed by the acclaimed Jessie Lloyd ...

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress rarely misses an opportunity to preach its alcohol control gospel. This time it’s a lecture for the new NT Government not to wind back supply regulations lest this leads to “a wave of alcohol related domestic violence, assaults, and social disorder”. And as previously, the health NGO’s reasoning is based on selected facts supporting its objectives.

Kerry Cain. The new Indigenous Interpretive garden space, garingilang gatjin wii, at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery in Maryborough, was the setting for an arts and cultural talks afternoon last Sunday. Djaara Elders Aunty Marilyne Nicholls and Uncle Rick Nelson co-shared cultural talks about Country and explained the use of chosen stones, plants and rock wells.

Rachel Hagan. Another year and another huge success for the annual Minlagawi Nature Festival with about 200 attendees engaging with culture and their community, while taking in a deep breath of fresh air ... The event was all about connecting with nature while learning about Nharangga culture.

Lismore City Council through Lismore Regional Gallery and the Quadrangle are proud to present a new First Nations-led creative wellbeing program launching with multi-sensory exhibition ‘Grounded’ this October … an innovative exhibition featuring the works of Widjabul-Wiabul/Yaegl sound and performance artist Mitch King and socially engaged artist and filmmaker Karenza Ebejer.

The light installations are installed, and following last night’s rehearsal for Calling Country ceremony - Shine on Gimuy kicked off on 3 October 2024 - with a Friday to Sunday program of music, poetry, comedy and conversations and more at the Salt House HQ. The stunning light installations that comprise the Artstory Light Walk will be in place until 13 October.

Corryong College students Seb Rowlinson, Layne Klippel and Zoe McKimmie were three of nine young people who were accepted to participate in the recent Kimberley Cultural Extension Trip program. Seb reports on the trip ... "We hopped into the utes and hit the road, headed for El Questro Station. After a three-hour drive ..."

Marnie Davis. The Indigenous - Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA) is calling for immediate government intervention relating to Australia’s escalating housing crisis. The IAPA seeks immediate intervention to protect vulnerable families, particularly First Nations peoples, single parent families, and our elders from homelessness and housing insecurity.

A French photographer and a Wahlubal artist have become friends through their admiration of each other’s work. Dave Tabulam (his photographer name) started a Facebook page featuring photos of nature in and around Tabulam ... William Walker saw Dave’s photos and wanted to meet him.

The art gallery should be “South of the Gap” was the main message of protesters at the foot of Anzac Hill … but a spokesman for Chief Minister Lea Finocchiaro confirmed … this is not what they are going to get. One speaker at the protest said: “We won’t budge”. The crowd of 60, young and old, had entered this major women’s sacred site through a pre-existing hole in the fence.

Featuring Floodlights and James Range Band - 10 days of live music and workshops through remote communities in the Northern Territory ... Celebrated  live music and workshop program  Guts Touring  is back for another year, unveiling the two bands who will be performing throughout the Northern Territory for their 2024 program.

Recently an episode of Radio National’s ‘The History Listen’ discussed the kangaroo dogs that were first bred about 1800 in Sydney by crossing Scottish deerhounds with greyhounds. Their ability to hunt and kill kangaroos provided early colonists with a plentiful supply of fresh meat.

Menang elder Aunty Vernice Gillies and Menang man Larry Blight will lead guided walking tours along the Kwoorabup riverbanks at the Kwoorabup River Festival [on Saturday 21 September] ... This cultural and environmental experience aims to help everyone better appreciate the Kwoorabup River and the Wilson/Nullaki inlet as they paddle, row and swim through the events of the day.

Remember ‘terra nullius’ the legal term that rose to prominence in the Mabo case? ... my focus in this opinion piece is not on terra nullius and who owns the land but on aqua nullius and who owns the water ... the Albanese government shows no sign of learning from the referendum disaster and is pushing ahead with building indigenous veto powers into a new National Water Agreement plus revving up the Commonwealth's Heritage Act.

Rachel Hagan. Since 1966, Scotch College has had a licence agreement with the Department for Environment and Water which has allowed them to use Mayibarrdu/Goose Island for immersive outdoor camp experiences ... Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Doug Milera said the board was thrilled the island was returning to the Narungga people, who plan to open it up for everyone to use and visit.

Tweed-based Wiradjuri artist  Hannah Lange has been awarded the top prize in the 2024 Wollumbin Art Award (WAA) with a stunning painting paying tribute to traditional First Nations weaving entitled Weaving by the River. The artist also wins a two-week residency at the Gallery’s Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio.

The more than half a billion dollars which the just launched Aboriginal Investment NT will be extracting from Canberra bureaucrats over five years should be spent mostly on infrastructure “on the ground, in communities,” says Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour ... “The AINT will ensure the money is spent in the right areas and in line with Aboriginal aspirations,” says Ms Scrymgour. And it may well be time for the Aboriginal land councils “to let go”.