The work in Australia was focused around exploring the perspectives for caring for country (land and sea management) with the Girringun Traditional Owner groups. Girringun country is found within a mosaic of protected areas systems including National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage Areas. The Girringun Aboriginal Corporation is a grass-roots organization representing nine Traditional Owner groups and is responsible for liaising with agencies and representing Traditional Owner interests in regards to Protected Areas. They are currently in the process of establishing an expanded Indigenous ranger unit, are renewing resource management agreements over sea country, and are working towards establishing the first Indigenous Protected Area over both land and sea country.
In exploring the various perspectives for caring for country I felt it was important to use methods for the Traditional Owners from Girringun’s nine groups to be able to express their vision regardless of age, gender, or political fluency. Girringun Traditional Owners have a vibrant artistic culture and through a meaningful partnership with the the Girringun Aboriginal Arts Centre we explored the idea for caring for country through a focus group, which brought Traditional Owners together. A collaborative painting was then produced from this discussion representing their shared vision.
“This art form helps us as Traditional Owners to promote recognition of the connection to country we have and also protecting our cultural values associated with the land and sea and everything in it.” – Caring for country workshop participant
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Artists: Leonard Andy, Theresa Beeron, Glyniss Geesu, Christine George, Gwen Hodges, Evelyn Ivey, Penny Ivey, Dena Leo, Emily Murray, John Murray, Ninney Murray, Phylicia Murray, Sally Murray, and Troy Whelan.
Caring for country means:
- Being on country – to care for country you need to understand it – to understand it you need to interact with it
- Maintaining culture – culture is tied to country and country supports culture
- Teaching future generations about the cultural and spiritual relationship Traditional Owners have with country
- Looking after the plants and animals on country
- Protecting from development and practices on country that are unsustainable
- Maintaining the health and overall wellbeing of Traditional Owners – Healthy country, healthy people
- Working towards social equity and rights for Traditional Owners
Some of the project outcomes:
- Traditional Owners from several of the nine Girringun groups had the opportunity to discuss and collaborate on a topic of collective importance
- Traditional Owners expressed their unique vision for caring for country with the broader community and other communities facing similar situations
- The medium provides opportunities for the Girringun Aboriginal Arts Centre to further it’s reach within Australia and Internationally
Below is the video address from Philip Rist – Executive Officer of the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation to Canadian First Nations. Delivered by Melanie Zurba to the North Coast – Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society in March 2010.
Project supported by: The Rigby Trust, Canada Research Chair for Community-Based Management, and The Australian Geographic Society.
