Mungo…
The Port Phillip Citizens for Reconciliation respectfully acknowledge the traditional
owners of the land we meet on, the Yalukit Wilam people of the Boon Wurrung.
This newsletter is supported by a Community Grant from the City of Port Phillip and printed with the assistance of the Member for Albert Park, Martin Foley, MP. September 2011
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FROM THE CO-CHAIR
Vale Clyde Holding: The former Hawke government minister Clyde Holding who died aged 80 in August is remembered as a champion of Aboriginal rights, the arts and a showman with a serious side. Among his many accomplishments was appointing the first indigenous head of the then Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Charles Perkins, being responsible for handing over Ayers Rock, now Uluru, to the local Mutitjulu people, funding of Eddie Mabo's native title case in the High Court – and being instrumental in the move to set up this group with Jacqui Willox, PPCfR’s first Chair who worked closely with the minister and has writes about Mr Holding below. We extend our condolences to the Mr. Holding’s family on behalf of the group.
Meetings: I’m happy to report that we have been having some really good turn outs at our meetings this year. And as the numbers have grown, so too has the level of interest in and support for our work; this is most heartening. Our members are a wonderful group of people and I’m continually impressed to hear about their involvement in and knowledge of matters relating to Indigenous Australia. It reminds me what the great Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson said: “The struggle never ends. The reward is the people you meet along the way;” that’s certainly my experience. And I’m sure you will be delighted to read Jo Bond’s report (below) about the play ‘Jandamarra’ she saw in the Kimberley recently. The story of this legendary warrior, who struggled to defend and heal the land, is one that deserves to be more widely heard.
News: Reconciliation, and matters relating to Indigenous Australians, has been featured in the media over the past few weeks – including some good news stories, something we’ve always pleased to report. These included the granting of native title rights to two Aboriginal groups on Victoria’s south-west coast; resolutions by the
City of Melbourne endorsing a Reconciliation Action Plan – something the City of Port Phillip is in the process of
developing – and agreements to fly the Aboriginal flag, and News Limited developing and signing their own RAP. (Details below). Closer to home, our group continues to promote the process of reconciliation in local schools. I’ve heard many Aboriginal people stress the importance of passing on their knowledge to young people in particular, and this is something we’re keen to assist with as we can with our fairly limited resources. Fortunately, we’ve had some great feedback from the schools we’ve approached this year. Among a host of other things, we know there are many people who have a thirst to learn more, thankfully.
AGM: I am delighted that Rod Jackson, CEO, Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS), has agreed to be our guest speaker this year. He has suggested talking about the meaning and significance of Welcome to Country and about the VAHS. The meeting will be held on 18 October and is open to all those interested in such matters. And speaking of AGM’s, the Stonnington Reconciliation Group will be holding theirs on 13 September.
Rosemary Rule
City of Melbourne flies the flag
In early August, the Melbourne City Council endorsed a three-year plan to fly the Aboriginal flag on the Town Hall to recognise the city's "first nation" people. It will fly alongside the Australian, Victorian and Melbourne flags will also drop the term "indigenous" when referring to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. "We will be the first capital city council to fly the Aboriginal flag above the Town Hall. That will be a fantastic thing for us to be doing," Cr Kanis said. Jim Berg, elder of the Gunditj-Mara people from the Western District, said it was an acknowledgment by the council that this was traditional country."It acknowledges that we were here and still are here," he said. "For us, without that acknowledgment there is no future." Cr Kanis said the Council would stop using the term indigenous for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people after community feedback. "They said they would prefer to be referred to as Aborigines because that's what they are," she said. Jill Gallagher, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, said using the word indigenous was often confusing because it could mean native people from any country. "It doesn't mean anything to us on its own," she said.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the council's reconciliation plan was groundbreaking and he would proudly recommend it to his counterparts in other cities. "I'm delighted that the City of Melbourne is a leader in this area," he said. The plan comes just weeks after Sydney City Council declared that European settlement in Australia was an invasion. Melbourne council will consider an Aboriginal cultural heritage installation near Cooks' Cottage in Fitzroy Gardens and also establishing an Aboriginal business hub in the city. Welcome to Country ceremonies will be staged at the first meeting of each newly elected council and traditional owners will be acknowledged at the start of all major events where councillors are invited to speak.
Good native title news
After a 15 year battle, native title rights were granted to two Aboriginal groups on Victoria’s south-west coast in July. The Federal Court of Australia granted the native title rights of Deen Marr Island to the Gunditjmara and Eastern Maars peoples, along with approx. 4000 hectares of Crown land between Dunkeld and Yambuk. The land rights claim was originally part of a 1996 native title application by the Gunditjmara people for about 137,000 hectares of land. But 4000 hectares were set aside from that application in 200 to include the Eastern Maar people in the claim. This is the fourth time native title has been recognised in Victoria.
Reconciliation Vic.
A workshop on Constitutional Recognition will be held 1 Sept for community sector organisations. People involved in such an organisation or have contacts in one, are urged to pass on the information. Register online via the link on flyer http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2051531185
Contact Damian O'keefe at Rec. Vic. via or ph: 9419 3613.
ANTaR volunteers
ANTaR Victoria has many volunteer positions just waiting to be filled, from office roles to stalls and fundraisers, and everything in between - we’d love to have you on our team. They are also looking for an e-news volunteer, someone who loves staying up-to-date with Indigenous community news and events. Sadly, our e-news volunteer is leaving us to pursue her career overseas – so if you are keen to join a fun team of volunteers at ANTaR, and have a few hours a week to read through news articles, look up events, and compile our awesome e-news, then contact us at
News Limited signs RAP
In a development that can surely be described as “interesting,” Rupert Murdoch’s media organisation News Limited has become the first Australian print news organisation to develop and implement its own Reconciliation Action Plan, setting out an agenda to strengthen and expand its partnerships with Indigenous Australians.
The plan, which represents a strong commitment to addressing Indigenous disadvantage and promoting effective reconciliation, was launched by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin.
“The Australian Government welcomes the commitment of News Limited to reconciliation," Ms Macklin said. "I commend them for developing a plan that acknowledges the unique role they can play in working towards the national goal of closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage. With over 9 000 employees Australia-wide and a weekly readership of over 13 million people, News Limited is well-placed to play a role in closing the gap." Also attending the launch was the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Senator Mark Arbib who said News Limited had worked with Reconciliation Australia to develop the plan. "Key components of the plan include an Indigenous employment strategy, a corporate partnership program and the appointment of an Indigenous programs manager.” News Limited chairman and chief executive John Hartigan said the plan included editorial exchanges with indigenous media and supporting indigenous business awards. Also at the launch was Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson. He urged indigenous Australians to follow the lead of Jewish communities, which have preserved their cultural identity while making significant economic gains. "Some of the most successful people on earth are people who have walked two roads at once. Take the Jews. They walked two roads at once - the road of Adam Smith and the road of cultural determination," Mr Pearson said.
Indigenous languages in schools
Mungo readers might remember that last year, PPCfR took part in a campaign for the reinstatement of the teaching of Indigenous languages in schools in the Northern Territory. It seems that the submissions received from individuals and groups have not totally fallen on deaf ears. Beth Graham, a former teacher, educator and advocate of bi-lingual education, who carefully and articulately brought out the issues relating to the proposal to abolish bi-lingual education by the NT Government to people in Melbourne, organised petitions and a detailed submission that was sent to the NT Minister of Education expression concern. We have recently learned from Beth that a select committee has been established by the House of Representatives to look into issues related to Indigenous languages. Beth says: “We are in the process of writing submissions. I think this issue has been taken up because of all those in your groups and others like it, who took time to write letters that at the time appeared to receive very little attention. But it seems someone was listening. The battle of course is not won but we have another chance to state the case. So I would like to thank your members for their support and I hope they will feel encouraged by this response from the Govt.”
Opera
Pecan Summer is a Dramatic opera from Short Black Opera: “Sixty thousand years of Yorta Yorta history: 70 years of dispossession. The Summer of 1939 will change the lives of the people of Cummeragunja forever.” Performances September 28, 29, 30 at The Arts Centre Playhouse. Visit theartscentre.com.au for tickets.
Melbourne Arts Festival
‘Notes from the hard road and beyond’ – A musical journey from revolution to redemption, Saturday October 20, 8pm, Sydney Myer Music Bowl.
Indigenous artists such as Archie Roach, in The Black Arm Band, and Emma Donovan will join forces with international renowned artists in this celebration of gender, environmental and civil rights. Ilbijerri Theatre presents ‘FOLEY’ - personal stories and narratives’ at The Arts Centre, St Kilda Road. Gary Foley will remind us of his skills and experience as troublemaker, teacher and teller of all tales. ‘Foley’ is a comical but actual storytelling of Foley’s life and times, as well as his version of Australian history. With the characteristic humour and indigenous pride, Foley tells everything from the Tent Embassy to the upcoming referendum. For more information on both events, contact the Arts Centre on 1300 182 183 or melbournefestival.com.au
Bunjilaka: Ritual and Ceremony Art Exhibition
In Ritual and Ceremony, renowned artist Maree Clarke uses the power of art to express the mourning process experienced by Victorian Indigenous communities. Clarke demonstrates how art inspires communities to heal and reconnect to their native language, cultural heritage and land.
The Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, 11 Nicholson St, Carlton, until October 30.
“Walk With Us”
“Walk with Us” is a beautifully illustrated, hard-covered book that provides a very important update of the current thinking about the Intervention. It articulates the views of Aboriginal Elders who gathered in Melbourne in February 2011 as well as those of other leading Australians. Following her visit to meet with Aboriginal elders in Darwin, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed her own concerns. Elders are calling on the ‘People of Australia’ to walk with them as they seek the return of their basic human rights in their quest for justice. (‘Walk with Us” is a sequel to the highly regarded book, “This Is What We Said”). Order through ‘concerned Australians’, PO Box 281, East Melbourne, Victoria 8002; make cheque out to Michele Harris or email: . Price per copy - $15 + $3 packaging and postage. (p&p is free for orders of 5 or more copies).
Waking up the Spirit festival
Pipalyatjara and Kalka women also known as the ‘wayward grannies,’ are a group of senior women from the Pitjantjatjara communities in the far north west of SA, will lead visitors in a weekend full of spirit laughing, singing and dancing – ceremonies to waken the sleeping spirit of the land and help all people reconnect to this spirit and the land. It promises to be an amazing event. This year the women are supported by Barry and Betty Pearce from Culpra Milli Aboriginal Corporation who have made available Culpra Station, a wonderful property on the Murray River between Mildura and Euston. Waking up the Spirit be held from October 14-17, 2011; all welcome, entry by donation A fundraising event is being planned in Melbourne in the first week of September; see the website for more details - www.wakingupthespirit.com, or email: