Anindilyakwa Land Council’s

Ayakwa

One People. One Voice. anindilyakwa.com.au

INSIDE THIS ISSUE• ASAC’S latest

recruits

• Amangarra producing the white goods

• Umbakumba Radio strike for Gold

• Aminjarrinja flying high

• Recreation Area Dreaming Stories

Cave Art and the Pretty ParrotsInside the caves at Wurrwarpatena near Angurugu, you will see depictions in ochre of humans, canoes, dugong, dolphin, lizard, shark, fish, stingray, turtle, crocodile, macropods, bird and bandicoot.

Over 370 identifiable paintings make it an exceptional local art gallery. However in Anindilyakwa culture, art is not simply to look at, nor is it a catalogue of the edible resources available in the local area. The art ‘alida’ that you will see here and in other places on Groote Eylandt represents totemic and clan-based connection to Country and may be ‘retouched’ by elders.

Totems (Alauwadawara) have special songs (Emeba) and dances describing the formation of the area, back in the Dreaming. Songs are shared by certain clans, connecting them with other clansmen both on Groote Eylandt, on Bickerton Island and on the mainland. Singing these emeba can increase their numbers and health of animals in the real world. Emeba are even sung to carry the spirits of the dead to their place of rest. Dreaming stories feature animals with superpowers that could alter whole landscapes with their movements. The Dreaming story of Wurreweba (Pretty Parrot) is told inside.

Photo: (Left) Hannah Wurramarrba and M. Wurramara (Dec.)

Newsletter | Issue no. 3 January 2016

Aminjarrinja flying kids to high placesAminjarrinja have recently embarked on an innovative program that supports families to enroll children in mainstream education in Cairns. Last year Nesman Bara sent his daughter, Taramisha to Julatten Primary School. Now in Grade Five, Tamarisha is thriving and Nesman has subsequently sent his younger daughter Sharon Anne to receive the same education. Since enrolling Sharon Anne, she has gained the confidence in her education to achieve Dux of her class for 2015.

Aminjarrinja has purchased two beautiful properties near two different primary schools, one coastal and one rural. Five children left Umbakumba earlier this month with their mothers and grandmothers to attend the rural school and were delighted to see cows, sheep and horses for the very first time in their lives. Rita Bara has accompanied her young charges to ensure close ties with home, language and culture. Peter and Helen Rheinberger have been selected as the House Parents. The children commenced school with eager smiles on the 27th of January 2016, with one more child expected to join in late February.

Angurugu and Milyakburra will be invited to attend next, with the hope of building on the success story. House parents are already selected for those future students. In total it is expected up to 18 children will start at the mainstream schools in Cairns. This school program is strongly supported by Anindilyakwa parents, families, ALC Executive and members of all of communities.

Words for the Rainy Season

Photo: Waiting excitedly to board the Airnorth flight.

Photo: Friends and family see the six children off

Amangarra to distribute new white goods to communityAmangarra have recently purchased brand new fridges and washing machines to be distributed throughout Angurugu, Umbakumba, Milyakburra and all out stations freely through their business, Leading Edge Appliances (ex-Retravision).

Amangarra is striving for communities to benefit by supplying the white goods and helping to manage numbers per house. This has been made possible due to funding from the ALC.

ENGLISH ANINDILYAKWA

Rainy Season Akillark-yelyuka

Rain Yelyuka

Cloud Angubina

Sun Mamawura

Sky Ekijirra

Wind Arrirra

Hot Ardirdarra

Will it rain today? Kunukwularrina yelyuka aduwaba?

Yes Yaw

No Nara

I don’t know Dukwa ngambiyada

pg. 3Issue no. 3 | January 2016 Issue no. 3 | January 2016 pg. 2

WURRWARBADENA

Photo: Ida Mamarika at Wurrwarbadena

Photo: Christopher Maminyamanja sitting amidst the artwork.

Wurrwarbadena and the WurruwebaAs told by Jabani Lalara.

“Wurruweba came from ‘Ruined City’ on Roper River (mainland). They flew through Amarlijbil then onto Anbali, then Wandawanda. Then they went between Yilil and Yarrgarri. Suddenly the Mamarika wind blew and they were sent off course, they stopped for a while then went on to Yinakuwa, a small island just off Bickerton Island (the area is Agudigba), then they flew over the sandstone country on Bickerton Island to Ayuwura where you see red stones which are the Pretty Parrots themselves. On they went, flying over Amilyikaba (Edward River near Alyangula). They flew over Akakwarna and camped at a billabong, ‘Wanijuwa’ near Wurrwapedena, to count and share stingray. The name of Wurrwarbadena is a shortened version of ‘Wurrakwakbadena’, which means ‘parrot’s teeth’. The white rocks around Wurrwarbadena are believed to be exactly that, the parrot’s teeth. Later they flew on to Angwerrikwerrikba in Yantarrnga country (Salt Lake and Central Hill). They stopped there. That’s where the story stops. It’s a one way story”.

The Wurrwarbadena cave site belongs to the Wurrakwakwa clan of Moiety 1, the songline of Wurreweba connects them with Yantarrnga.

Surrounding Angurugu is a special rainforest called Miridjidja. Ochre used for retouching of the art is found in nearby Angurugu River. Here there is also the important creation story of ‘Sawfish’ (Yukwurrindangwa).

Emeba for around Angurugu such as Old Man (Nangkbalumanja), ‘Pretty’ Parrot (Wurruweba), Flying Fox (Yalyilya), Shovel-nosed Stingray (Yilyanga), Sea Snake, Hammerhead Shark (Magabarama) depict different events at different times in the Anindilyakwa Dreaming.

Emeba are learned by children while sitting under stars and during daily travels through the jungle, or while fishing. Traditional teaching also occurred when the old men sang all night long, accompanied by the hypnotic drone of the digeridoo. Today, Anindilyakwa people believe the spirits are here, watching over everything. Look and listen for the Wurruweba ‘preeek...’ next time you visit.

pg. 5Issue no. 3 | January 2016 Issue no. 3 | January 2016 pg. 4

Umbakumba Radio’s Henrietta strikes for Gold!Henrietta Mamarika, the youngest of the Sport and Recreation team in Umbakumba has won ‘Best Emerging Talent for Broadcasting in the NT’. Last month the team attended a Top End Broadcasting AGM where the prestigious awards were announced.

Henrietta is the 2nd and youngest of the Sport and Rec team to win the award in three years and only the 2nd from Groote Eylandt to ever win the award. Henrietta was also nominated to the board TEABBA (Top End Aboriginal Broadcasting to the Bush Association) which is the main broadcasting body that covers 28 Remote Indigenous Communities in the Top End.

Australia Day this year put an even bigger smile on Henrietta’s dial after accepting Young Citizen of the Year for 2016. Rob Jackson, Vice President Operations for GEMCO graciously presented the award to Henrietta for her marvelous achievements at Umbakumba Radio Station, along with her fantastic attributes as an employee with the Umbakumba Sport and Recreation team, who were the initiators of the ANZAC Day Softball Challenge Closing the Gap initiative. The Umbakumba YSR team held a 93% attendance rate over 2015 and over 87% throughout the past three and a half years of delivering their Youth Sport and Recreation activities. Congratulations Henrietta on your fantastic achievements.

Photo: (Above) Henriete Mamarakia with Percy Bishop and Rob Jackson handing the Australian Young Citizen of the Year award.

BUSH CALENDER

Photo: Emerald River Seaweed

MONTH BUSH MEDICINE

JANUARY

Parrot Fish and Venus Tusk Fish (Yembirrkwa) are fat when the wet season comes. When the Stringybarks (Alabura) stop flowering they are finished. Flowering on the White Berry Bush (Mularrngkwa) brings a lot of mosquitoes. When the fruit is ripe they ae no longer a problem.

FEBRUARY The Yellow Spear Grass (Dingarrkwa) flowers, and the rain comes in showers throughout the day and night.

MARCHFlowering of the Rough-Barked Gum (Ayenbada) and the Bunch Spear Grass shows that the south-east trade wind (Mamarika) will soon be blowing and the wet season is at an end.

APRILFlowering of Wattles (Mebina) means that Snapper (Red finned Emperor) is fat and ready to be caught. Now also ased to indicate that Easter is near.

APRIL/MAY

The flowering of the Broad-Leafed Wattle (Merrika) means that Tern eggs are ready for collecting. The dropping of Yellow Spear Grass seeds (Dingarrkwa) show that Long Yams (Murungkwurra) and Round Yams (Murungkwurra) are ready to dig.

MAY

Flowering of Bloodwood (Alumilya) means that Salmon (Yimurarra) will be coming over the reefs at night and can be caught by spearing after being attracted by the light of pinewood torches. Flowering of Woolly Butt (Mawurdarra) means there will be plenty of honey in the wild bees nests.

ASAC’s Latest RecruitsASAC has commenced with the objective to be a primary employer of local people. This is an ongoing guiding principal for ASAC and while we have a majority of Indigenous employees we are seeking more enthusiastic community people keen to join our ASAC Team.

Currently, ASAC has 3 vacant positions identified specifically for Indigenous candidates. ASAC is currently recruiting for:

• 1 x Bush Medicine Coordinator

• 2 x Bush Medicine Project Officer

• 1 x Men’s Project Officer Coordinator

• 1 x Events Coordinator

• 1 x Language Officer Trainee

If you are interested in any of these roles, please either email us at hr@asacnt.com.au, call us on 0439 374 476, or visit us in the GEAT Building at Angurugu.

We would like to welcome some new staff to our team, mainly based in the CATCH building in Angurugu:

Bernadette Watt - Art and Culture Project Officer

Ronald Mirniyowan – Art and Culture Project Officer

Alfred Lalara and Alice Durilla - CATCH Coordinators (Art Centre Angurugu)

pg. 7Issue no. 3 | January 2016 Issue no. 3 | January 2016 pg. 6

Ph 08 8987 4010Fax 08 8987 4098info@alcnt.com.au

30 Bougainvillea DrivePO Box 172Alyangula NT 0885

anindilyakwa.com.au

Published by Editors and Contributors:Katie Hagebols, Roina Williams, Percy Bishop, Mark Hewitt, Judy Lalara, Gerald Yantarrnga, Anindilyakwa Media, Jabani Lalara.

‘This Old Man Wurramarrba’ by Mark HewittAll great cultures and civilizations throughout human history agree that the greatness of a person is defined by one central thing.

To what extent is that person connected to the great creative force that lies at the source of all life?

People who have tapped into this force tend to be calm, always happy, gentle, forgiving and live in a state of constant peace.

Because they live in such a fortunate state, free from being caught up in the turbulence of superficial life they tend to live long.

Because their thinking draws from that powerful deep reservoir of creative thought – what they think becomes actualized without effort or trouble.

This old man was such a person. He was in fact a very spiritual man, a reference point for all of us who were fortunate enough to have met him.

After his long adventurous life travelling the world he said he wanted to have an old people’s care place here for all old people to rest in. It happened.

Then he said he wanted a place to make spears and cultural objects – so the Men’s Shed was created without fuss.

The highlight of my days here have been those visits to the Aged Care, the Men’s Shed and the visits out on Country listening to his laughter, stories and detailed knowledge of the whole fabric of the spiritual and physical world. Just a few days before he passed away he showed me around his latest projects in the Men’s Shed. He as as ever, animated, happy and at peace.

People like this in other cultures are called Saints.

It has been my very great privilege to have met This Old Man and my very sincere condolences are extended by me on behalf of the Anindilyakwa Land Council staff to all his family and loved ones.

pg. 8Issue no. 3 | January 2016