Latest news with #AboriginalCulture
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Students across Illawarra walk for Reconciliation Week
Hundreds of school students from across the Illawarra region of the New South Wales south coast have walked on Dharawal country to show their support for reconciliation — 25 years on from the landmark walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. More than 35 schools participated in the walk to mark National Reconciliation Week, bringing to life this year's theme: Bridging Now to Next. "It's a brilliant opportunity to bring all the community together, and more importantly, we're teaching young kids — both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal — about Aboriginal culture," Uncle Darrell Brown told the ABC's Indigenous Affairs Team. Students and teachers made their way from the Warilla Surf Club to Reddall Parade where they took part in a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country. "When we do a Welcome to Country, we're speaking to the ancestors who protect the country, saying, look we're here, we're visiting, please protect us," said Yuin woman Maiquilla Brown. Ms Brown, the Aboriginal community planner at Shellharbour City Council, said the recent discussion around winding back Welcome to Country ceremonies shows a lack of understanding of First Nations people and culture. "We're not talking about welcoming people to Australia or a nation or a country as a whole. "It's welcoming people into that small area of land or physical country, and all the cultural and spiritual connections to that area." After the Welcome, the group held a minute's silence to pay homage to elders who have passed. They celebrated the spirit of reconciliation with a flag exchange between students and local elders. "It's amazing to me, seeing all the kids willing to put on the ochre and coming out here today," said Koorin Campbell, who played didgeridoo for the Gumaraa dancers who performed on the day. "We get to walk with our culture and our religion," one young student told the ABC. "[It's] learning about your culture, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous people [coming together]," another said. Lake Illawarra High has been participating in the local reconciliation walk since its inception 18 years ago. Behind the scenes is Aunty Denise Willis, an Aboriginal liaison officer who has worked at the school for over 25 years. It's an event she looks forward to each year. "We can walk the walk and be strong, powerful and not afraid. It makes us very proud of our community," she said. The long fight for Indigenous rights hasn't been easy, and it's something Aunty Denise doesn't shy away from. "I'm one of the older girls that experienced difficult times," she reflected. "To talk about reconciliation … means recognising our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and looking at the injustices that they have faced and where we are today. "We're heading in the right direction, but we've got heaps more to do." Lake Illawarra High's commitment to reconciliation is displayed in the Aboriginal murals in the playground and the growth in First Nations enrolment rates, led by Aunty Denise's work. "Seeing the younger generations, non-Indigenous people walking together and supporting our people, I feel emotional because it's a wonderful thing to see that progress happening," she said. Shellharbour City Council has been organising the reconciliation walk for almost two decades. For the council's Ms Brown, reconciliation "starts with empathy and understanding". "We need young people to understand the impacts of truth-telling and learning about Aboriginal history," she said. "Reconciliation for me, it really means reflection, thinking about what's happened in the past, all those atrocities, all the barriers and inequalities, and thinking about how we can make the future a better place for everyone." Ms Brown noted that the walk draws First Nations people with cultural connections across the east coast. "Our guests also have European or international family members … so it's important we share our culture so they can participate in it, learn it and embrace it," she said. "As long as we want to keep moving together and making Australia better for everybody, right now, reconciliation is the best strategy we've got. "If we step back from that, then we don't have anything to help us advance an Australia where Aboriginal people feel equal." Respected Yuin Elder Uncle Gerald Brown — known affectionately as Uncle Gee — has been involved in many of the previous years' walks, including performing the Welcome to Country for over a decade. "I get a lot of satisfaction out of it," he said. Reflecting on Australia's progress to reconciliation, including his disappointment at the outcome of the Voice referendum, Uncle Gee said the event gives him hope. "It's different now to when we went to school, we were never allowed to go to anything like this, so we're making a change for the better, I believe, anyway," he said.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- ABC News
First Nations children learn culture at Murray River's Robinvale camp
There's a bend along the Murray River at Robinvale in north-west Victoria that arouses conflicting emotions in multi-clan nation elder Aunty Thelma Chilly. It's where, as a girl, she ran and played on the riverbank and learnt the traditions of ancestors, passed down through generations. But it's also where the harsh realities of the White Australia Policy played out. Aunty Thelma's family was forced to move from their home on the banks of the Murray River, at a site known locally as Punt Bend, to the old Manatunga mission close by. Decades after her family was relocated, Aunty Thelma is working to reclaim the site through an annual cultural gathering of Aboriginal families from across Australia's east coast. During the 1956 flood, Aboriginal families relocated from Punt Bend to an industrial area in Robinvale. "They formed a welfare board, which was connected to the assimilation policies of those days, and they built Manatunga mission." Families were forced onto the mission, to live in concrete buildings with a door and a pot-belly stove. Still, Aunty Thelma's family and others kept returning to the banks of the Murray every year, sometimes for months at a time. "They actually return here to … commemorate the fact that this was where their people come from. "We have turned this into a place of learning and passing on knowledge of our culture." Every year, families come from across Australia's east coast to Robinvale on Tati Tati Country to take part in a four-day camp. "Every year, we try to do something different here at the Easter camp to pass along the culture and knowledge to other people in the community, but particularly our children," Aunty Thelma said. Robinvale is close to the lands of Latje Latje, Wadi Wadi and Mutti Mutti clans, and their traditional owners can be found among the families who set up a campsite every year. Over the four days, older generations teach their children, grandchildren and others how to fish, weave, and make cultural art and costumes, and to hold ceremonies such as Welcome Baby to Country. It's a way for those who didn't grow up with a connection to family and culture to find that connection and sense of belonging. "Matt [Chilly] does his emu feathers and he's weaving, and he's telling his story with the importance of technique, and art and creativity," Aunty Thelma said. "He's a creative young man, and it's so important to be able to provide that art. The stories of assimilation and the threat of the welfare board would never be forgotten by those who lived through that period, Aunty Thelma said. But by holding the camp, elders hoped to reinforce their pride in their culture and share their customs and skills with their most important asset — their children. "I'm just so grateful to be able to continue this tradition of being in this place, and it does mean a lot to me," Aunty Thelma said. National Reconciliation Week runs from May 27 to June 3. This year's theme is Bridging Now to Next, which reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future, and how Australia can move forward by learning from past lessons.
The Guardian
30-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
WA's Golden Outback: Two Aboriginal experiences you'll never forget
Western Australia's Golden Outback is known for its vast, wild beauty – but beyond the salt lakes, red-rock expanses and sweeping white-sand beaches lies a rich Aboriginal cultural landscape waiting to be explored. Here, in a place of ancient stories and deep connection to country, two Aboriginal-owned tour operators offer unforgettable experiences that reveal the spirit of the land. For anyone seeking more from their journey – deeper perspectives, cultural understanding and a sense of place shaped over tens of thousands of years – these are experiences not to miss. Aerial view of Hellfire Bay, near Esperance. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia. In Esperance (Kepa Kurl), Annie Dabb and her family welcome visitors to their ancestral lands via Dabungool Cultural Experiences. Named after Annie's grandfather, Dabungool is a family-run business grounded in Nyungah culture and a strong sense of place. Each guided walk shares cultural stories tied to the land, highlighting the seasonal foods, plants and animals that have long sustained life in this region. The Hellfire Bay Walk is a journey through one of the most scenic and lesser-known spots in Cape Le Grand National Park (Mandoowernup). Walking from Hellfire Bay to Little Hellfire Bay, you'll learn about seasonal bush foods and plant life, and – in Makuru season (June-July) – may even spot migrating southern right whales just offshore. The trail winds among granite slabs and offers stunning coastal views, as guides provide insights into a landscape you'll soon realise is rich with meaning for the Aboriginal people who have lived here for tens of thousands of years. Dabungool Cultural Experiences. Photo supplied. On the Taananedtj Trail at Dempster Head, you'll forage for seasonal bush foods along a gentle walking track with sweeping views over Esperance Bay. Native herbs and edible plants are part of the story here, as you'll discover through tastings and sensory experiences along the way. The Wudjari people recognise six seasons – Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang – with seasonal indicators such as flowering plants marking when one season ends and another begins. The trail is dog-friendly, and classed as an easy walk, making it a great option for young families and travellers with mobility limitations. For those wanting to explore inland, the Murdidyyinakabi Walk at Lake Monjingup offers insights into one of the most biodiverse areas in WA. This wheelchair-accessible walk reveals an astonishing variety of flora and fauna – including the pincushion hakea – along with some of the stories embedded in the land. You're likely to spot kangaroos, emus, frogs and birds while learning how the ecosystem guided traditional life. Katter Kich Gallery & Tours. Photo supplied. Near Hyden, the iconic shape of Katter Kich, otherwise known as Wave Rock, rises from the outback like a cresting wave of granite. For Nyungar man Michael Ward, a guide who grew up in the region and has strong cultural ties to the land, this is more than a landmark – it's a place of deep spiritual significance. Katter Kich Gallery & Tours connects visitors to the cultural history and living stories of the area through the sharing of traditional knowledge and seasonal lore, as well as providing access to some of the sacred sites here. The Half Day Tagalong Tour invites guests to follow Michael in their own 4WD vehicles as they visit places such as the Humps and Mulkas Cave. Along the way, he shares the Dreaming story behind the cave – a cautionary tale passed down through generations – and points out native bush foods, medicinal plants and local wildlife. For early risers, the Morning Tour begins at Hippos Yawn and includes a gentle climb for panoramic sunrise views across the salt plains and outback. You'll learn about ancient hand stencils, traditional tracks and the cultural significance of each formation, while soaking up the shifting colours of the landscape in morning light. Hippos Yawn near Wave Rock. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia The Twilight Tour showcases the changing hues of Wave Rock at sunset to the squawks and chatter of galahs flying overhead. The tour includes a moderate climb and finishes with Dreaming stories and cultural insights shared beneath the towering granite. Both the Morning and Twilight tours include visits to ancient art sites, as well as talks on how the seasons influenced the gathering of food and medicine in this semi-arid environment. If you're heading to Western Australia's Golden Outback, Aboriginal cultural experiences can provide a deep understanding of places you might otherwise pass by – whether you're on a windswept beach or a hilltop trail, or at the base of a towering rock. Through storytelling, seasonal knowledge and walking together on country, these tours offer travellers opportunities to see this land in a new light. Discover more at
ABC News
27-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
What Does Reconciliation Look Like?
MIRABELLE, STUDENT: Hi, I'm Mirabelle, and my mob is the Pitjantjatjara. BONNIE, STUDENT: I'm Bonnie, and our mob is the same. CALLUM, STUDENT: My name is Callum. I'm from Koonibba which is near Ceduna. SAPHIRA, STUDENT: Hi, so I'm Saphira and our mob is Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara. ARLIAH, STUDENT: My name's Arliah and my mob is Wemba Wemba. KRISTIAN, STUDENT: My name is Kristian, I'm from the Nukunu mob. LEDGER, STUDENT: My name is Ledger and I'm from the Kokatha Mob. STEPHEN, STUDENT: My name is Stephen and I'm from Ngarrindjeri Mob. TRUDY, STUDENT: I'm Trudy. My mob is Wakka Wakka and Budjari around Queensland. BELLA, STUDENT: My name is Bella, and I am a proud Pitjantjatjara from APY Lands woman. LEDGER: The Aboriginal culture is not just one massive culture, it's all divided up into small groups and mobs. KRISTIAN: If you look at a mob map of Australia, there are probably hundreds of different mobs all around the country. It's just really cool to see that so many people live here. MICHELLE WAKIM, REPORTER: Once a year, these First Nations students come together for a Nunga Tag Sports Carnival on Kaurna Land in Adelaide, South Australia. CALLUM: We're playing Nunga Tag, also known as Rugby Tag. It's been pretty fun. TRUDY: It's just like rugby, without tackling. BELLA: So, it's like, Oz tag. This event is an opportunity to celebrate culture, make new mates and catch up with old ones. TRUDY: My favourite part about Nunga Tag is like, that I get to play with my friends and all that. Just hang out with them and stuff, laugh with them and stuff. ARLIAH: And it's like bringing the past, present and emerging people all together, like no matter like what mob you're from and everything. It's just like everyone just coming together and just having a good time. And this carnival just happens to be held in the lead-up to Reconciliation Week. TRUDY: Yeah, this is, like, a very nice way to come together, especially for Reconciliation Week. It's just like all of us as Aboriginal individuals kind of like celebrating together. KRISTIAN: For me, it's like a great way to connect to the Aboriginal roots of the country, to get everybody involved and what it means to be an Aboriginal. STEPHEN: Yeah, that's what he said basically but, yeah, so it's a, it's just really a great way to connect everybody, like into one essentially like group and reconcile with everyone. STUDENT: We are grateful for the Aboriginal people and we're sorry. Reconciliation Week falls between two really important dates. It starts on the 27th of May, which is the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, when 90% of Aussies voted to change the Constitution to make sure Indigenous people were counted alongside and subject to the same laws as other Australian citizens. It ends on the 3rd of June, also known as Mabo Day, when the High Court of Australia recognised that First Nations people had rights to land their ancestors had lived on for thousands of years. Reconciliation Week is about celebrating these milestones and others. KEVIN RUDD, FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: And for their families left behind, we say sorry. And the people who fought for them. But, it's also about recognising all the work that still needs to be done. KRISTIAN: We still get a lot of racism, people calling us slurs, being disrespectful to the country, just stuff like that. Aboriginal elders should have a say in what happens like with their land, like with the implement of like houses and that type of stuff. STEPHEN: He keeps, he keeps, I think he's like reading my mind because like that's what I was going to say, so yeah. MIRABELLE: Some people can feel discriminated, left out. It's a big problem that has been around for ages and ages. And the uninvolvement of people of colour is really bad. We need to fix that. It's 2025. BONNIE: I think part of the problem is that some of the Indigenous people still aren't able to get the learning experience than others and it just separates us a little bit more. These students say there needs to be more education about First Nations cultures and that people need to take every chance they can to come together to listen and learn from each other. MIRABELLE: I want every future like generation of the First Nations and of Australia to learn about the history, to look at artefacts, because I don't think it's talked about enough. BELLA: I think language and culture should be included more often in schools, just to make it feel more alive. CALLUM: Teach people from a young age that, like, we are all human. BONNIE: Having more events like this today would make it easier for people to learn about Indigenous people and First Nations people. MIRABELLE: If like someone asks where you're from, feel really confident, like, it's a good thing to share your culture. STEPHEN: I hope that people will like just be more open, like with every culture and just basically everyone in Australia, no matter their race, no matter their identity, no matter, no matter anything. STUDENTS: Happy Reconciliation Week!
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
Walk with the world's oldest living culture in Western Australia
There are few places on Earth where stories stretch back 60,000 years, and even fewer where those stories are still being lived, told and passed down through generations. Western Australia is one of those rare places: a vast, wild land where the world's oldest continuous living culture invites travellers not just to admire the stunning landscape they walk through, but to connect with it. Across the state, from the rugged red cliffs of the Kimberley to the turquoise waters of the South West, a growing number of Aboriginal tourism experiences offer visitors the opportunity to connect deeply with self, with others and with country. Designed for all ages, the tours are fun, hands-on and moving. To walk alongside an Aboriginal guide in WA is to see the land not just for what it is, but for everything it holds: knowledge, culture, spirituality and identity. In the state's South West, two tour operators – Kurrah Mia in Albany and Koomal Dreaming in the Margaret River region – offer immersive journeys that bring the beauty of this incredible place to life through the eyes of its traditional custodians. Aboriginal Walking Tour with Kurrah Mia, Denmark. Photo credit: Base Imagery. Near the coastal city of Albany, also known as Kinjarling, or 'place of rain', the team at Kurrah Mia welcomes visitors to walk in the footsteps of the Menang Noongar people. Guided tours pass on knowledge from elders to the next generation and to all who walk with them on country. On the Mount Clarence Walking Tour, guests walk with an experienced Menang guide, learning how the Menang people used ochre, plants, stone, bone and fire in daily life, as tools for hunting, medicine, storytelling and survival. Every element of the landscape has purpose and meaning, from the native flora that once healed wounds to the birds whose call signals change with each season. The Aboriginal Walking Tour to Quaranup takes guests deeper still, following ancient paths to Quaranup (or Kwooranup – place of the brush-tailed wallaby). It's here that you begin to understand how closely the Menang people lived in rhythm with the tides and seasons. Among granite outcrops and sea-swept cliffs, tour participants discover ancient stone structures, engravings, waterholes and artefacts left untouched by time. When the tides allow, the group ventures to the rocks to forage for shellfish, just as the ancestors once did. Dreaming stories, woven with culture and song, bring the walks to life and cast the land in a new light. The experience isn't just about what you see; it's about what you begin to feel. Kurrah Mia's tours are an invitation to slow down, listen and start to understand the bush as a vibrant, living classroom. Through bush food tastings and lessons in native medicine plants, visitors gain an understanding of how the Menang people thrived here for tens of thousands of years – long before Albany became a port town and maps drew lines across the landscape. Aboriginal Cultural Tour at Ngilgi Cave Ancient Lands Experience with Josh Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming. Photo credit: Tourism Western Australia. Further west, in the picturesque Margaret River Region, the founder of Koomal Dreaming, Josh 'Koomal' Whiteland, offers guests a deeply personal encounter with Wadandi and Bibbulmun country. The Aboriginal Food, Cave and Didge Tour is a multisensory experience that begins with a gentle walk through native bush, where guests learn to identify seasonal foods and medicinal plants that have nourished generations. Then, the journey moves underground into Ngilgi Cave, a sacred site where time seems to slow down. A gifted storyteller, musician and cultural custodian, Josh shares Dreaming stories passed down by his ancestors. His didgeridoo performance, in the cave's cool, cathedral-like chambers, reverberates with a haunting, ancient beauty. After emerging from the cave, it's time to gather around the campfire to feast on the likes of kangaroo, emu and seasonal bush foods such as saltbush and quandong – all paired with local Margaret River wines and beers. For an experience of a different kind, the Twilight Didgeridoo Cave Tour invites guests into Ngilgi Cave after hours. As the sun sets above ground, the cave becomes a sanctuary of sound and story. This 90-minute tour ends in stillness, with the soft glow of lanterns casting shadows on the limestone walls while the didgeridoo speaks its ancient song. On his tours, Josh encourages guests to reflect on their place in the world, their responsibilities to nature and the importance of keeping culture alive. Aboriginal Walking Tour with Kurrah Mia, Denmark. Photo credit: Base Imagery. Whether you're exploring cultural sites, learning about bush foods or listening to elders share history, these guided Aboriginal tours give context and depth to the landscape around you. For travellers who want to understand more than just the scenery, the tours offer a powerful way to see the South West region through a different lens – and to better understand the deep cultural connections that continue to shape life across Western Australia. Discover more at
