ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

KEEPING PLACES & BEYOND: Building cultural futures in NSW

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Museums & Galleries NSW is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW. Keeping Places and Beyond 1 INDEX

OVERVIEW AGENCIES With respect, opportunities open 2 State Agencies and Non-Government Agencies 68 The Value of Place 4 State Records Authority of NSW 68 This summit and Museums & Galleries NSW 5 Museums & Galleries NSW 68 Museums, Keeping Places and Repatriation 6 Regional Arts NSW 69 PEOPLE & PLACES Aboriginal and Islander Data Archive 70 Goondee Keeping Place, Lightning Ridge 10 NSW Aboriginal 71 Laddie Timbery’s Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, Huskisson 12 Local Government & Association of NSW 71 Badger Bates, 14 NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group 72 Dharriwaa Elders Group, Walgett 16 Monaroo Bobberrer Gudu Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Eden 18 FUNDING BODIES Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum 20 Federal Government 74 Condoblin Corporation, Condoblin 22 The Office for the Arts 74 Armidale Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place, Armidale 24 Council for the Arts 74 Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, Leichhardt 26 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace People of the Reeds, 28 Relations (DEEWR) 77 Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art & Culture Studio, Gerringong 30 Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, 32 Euraba Paper Company, Population and Communities 79 Tribal Warrior, Redfern and Harbour 34 81 Dhiiyaan Indigenous Unit, Moree 36 National Agencies Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, 38 Regional Arts Australia 81 Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corp, Mid-North Coast 40 NAVA 81 North Sydney Aboriginal Heritage Office, Northbridge 43 The Arts Law Centre of Australia 81 Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, Booragul 46 Viscopy 81 Kamilaroi Keeping Place at Moree Plains Gallery, Moree 48 Copyright Agency Limited 82 BEYOND THE CASE STUDIES Quick grant finder websites 83 Community Builders 83 Beyond the case studies 50 Grant Guru 83 RESOURCES Grants Link 83 Cultural Institutions in NSW 52 NSW Reconcilliation Council 83 52 Free websites 83 State Library of NSW 53 Art Gallery of NSW 54 PROTOCOL DOCUMENTS 55 Cultural protocols, including / NSW Government Departments 56 Acknowledgement of Country: 84 NSW Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Heritage and Languages 84 56 Infrastructure Artform, museums and galleries 85 Arts NSW 56 Media protocols 85 Office of Aboriginal Affairs NSW 57 Office of Environment and Heritage, Department Education and research 86 of Premier and Cabinet 58 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

All photographs are used with PLEASE NOTE: permission. May contain names or images of deceased people. All language spellings are as provided by authors and interviewees.

presented by supported by OVERVIEW

With respect, opportunities open

It starts and ends with recognition and across NSW is more vibrant and In bringing together so many people models from interstate and overseas respect. than most would expect. Still, much with divergent experience and and extract from sector case studies, of the great work occurs in isolation, roles in the sector, from heritage issues and themes for development. NSW has the largest Aboriginal is often project based and requires and environment management and There will be group discussions population in Australia, yet the dedicated research to uncover. There protection, arts and culture, traditional sessions on the second day to focus distinctive art and cultures of is no one site, physical or virtual, that knowledge keepers and practitioners, on ideas and recommendations. Aboriginal NSW underperform in terms accumulates, stores and presents this education, industry and investment, of visibility and success alongside their knowledge and experience, linking local government and more, we have This reader is designed to help you counterparts in every other mainland heritage, arts and cultural practice as been guided by this model of the prepare for your attendance at the state. understood by Aboriginal people. sector: summit.

Aboriginal art and cultures of NSW The summit, Keeping Places & Beyond: have competed for recognition Building cultural futures in NSW is an alongside Western, multicultural and opportunity to bring together these multimedia art movements as well as individuals and organisations with those Aboriginal arts and culture from the keen to learn about maintaining and rest of Australia. There are historical invigorating arts and culture in their reasons for this, starting with NSW communities, along with Government as the site of first and arguably and other support organisations who greatest cultural disruption, through can help. Produced by Museums & to the emergence of Sydney as an Galleries NSW with core funding from international city with accompanying Arts NSW, it is also supported by expectations of being a showcase for the NSW Office of Aboriginal Affairs all that is uniquely Australian. and NSW Aboriginal Land Council. The summit will produce a platform Yet, as this publication reveals, the paper and key recommendations for Aboriginal arts and cultural sector supporting the sector.

Indigenous Population Distribution 2006

While local issues will still require The holistic nature of Aboriginal Summit: Keeping Places & local solutions, the summit will provide culture means a multidisciplinary Beyond: Building cultural futures a state-wide forum to discuss what approach is appropriate and in NSW has and hasn’t worked, models of possible: visual arts, artefacts and Location: , operation and governance and grass archival material, genealogies, Everleigh, Sydney roots suggestions for sustaining and libraries, photographs, performance, Dates: 19th and 20th of improving the sector for this and future storytelling, music, dance, oral September 2011 generations. histories, ecology of the natural Objective: Bring together leading landscape, sustainable living, practitioners in Aboriginal cultural Our time together may be brief, a astronomy and education all have their maintenance and development mere two days on the 19th and 20th place. Living centres for living cultures from across NSW to understand of September 2011, but the program also means places for community site-based best practice is designed to present the broad functions, festivals and markets, Aim: To build sector capacity and context in which we operate, new ceremonies and celebrations. visibility Source: Populations Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait developments on the horizon, key Islander , Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713.0)

Building cultural futures 2 Building cultural futures 3 OVERVIEW

The Value of Place more competitive, products, part of the Regional Arts centres provide opportunities whether art, artefacts, bush foods NSW network of Regional Arts not only for Aboriginal artists Places and spaces are the starting or “cultural tourism experiences” Development Officers (RADOs) but for arts workers, for example point for building cultural futures rarely provide stable income Aboriginal curators, to learn and in NSW, providing opportunities streams as stand alones • Further education through regional hewn their skills. Participants for engagement, interaction and TAFE’s and universities has played suggested that new and less well- experience. Places can be purpose • Successful organisations have a role in helping organisations known Aboriginal artists often built structures or in situ, such as developed strong governance and establish themselves both in do not get access to venues that those managed by NSW National business management as well as arts practice and business non-Aboriginal artists would use Parks & Wildlife. The roles of heritage quality, reliable products development to get their start, and that this management, keeping places, was an important justification transmission of knowledge, arts and • There is increased support in • There remains strong interest for Aboriginal arts and cultural cultural practice, cultural enterprise general across Government but in tapping into cultural tourism centres and the internet as a platform for no universal model of funding experience markets even though virtual spaces will be central to the opportunities. Also, years few successful models exist. • Another potential purpose discussions and recommendations. of project funding does not New means of communication participants gave for Aboriginal necessarily result in organisational via the internet and other media arts and cultural centres is Can keeping places engage funding and stability may help build audiences through to provide the facilities and communities? How do not-for-profit aggregated websites. Also the equipment (kilns, presses, etc) for centres successfully develop cultural • There is strong understanding Regional Arts NSW research Aboriginal artists to do their work. enterprise? What protocols should of the role of heritage in paper, Determining Training and This is particularly important given there be around knowledge sharing on communities: traditional Education Needs in the NSW the high cost of people equipping the internet? What opportunities can knowledge and cultural practice, Aboriginal Visual Arts Sector, by themselves, which acts as a be created for education and training, language documentation, Ruben Allas and Annette Easie deterrent for people to continue in career pathways and mentoring? genealogies, traditional stories (31/1/2010) identifies new the arts What indeed, does success look like and post contact histories. Many technologies as attracting young for Aboriginal arts and culture in centres are engaged in these Aboriginal to study arts • Other justifications given were NSW? You will find more issue-based activities solely or as a basis for or participate in arts-related that arts centres act like agents questions at the end of each case further creative practice. Despite activities, many in disadvantaged for the people who use them, study. this, Governments up until now regional communities connecting potential markets have struggled conceptually to to these artists, and hopefully While not intended as a complete fund these foundation activities, This Summit and Museums & opening doors for them. Centres survey of all arts and culture sites in though more recent evidence Galleries NSW can connect artists to one NSW, some strong themes emerge in suggests hope for the future another, creating networks of these case studies: This summit is specifically identified practise and the opportunity for • 52.6 per cent of the NSW • The natural environment including within the Arts NSW Aboriginal people to assist one another. They Aboriginal population identifies • Communities that are up and sites of meaning, bush foods and Arts and Cultural Strategy 2010 can also provide a focal point with a clan, tribal or language running with sites for arts and care for environment are easily (2.3.3). Additionally, the community and meeting place for the local group while 42.4 per cent does cultural activity don’t just want accommodated within many consultations that informed that Aboriginal community to learn not them, they really want them. That centres’ activities as part of the strategy indicated: about Aboriginal culture in a safe • 80.9 per cent of the NSW is, time and again there has been Aboriginal holistic approach to and nurturing environment Aboriginal population does not initiative and commitment, often culture. Where funding may be • A major piece of infrastructure Furthermore: speak an Aboriginal language; without financial compensation, to available to assist, it is usually that was advocated was Aboriginal 15.9 per cent speaks only establish premises, organisations isolated within heritage and arts and cultural centres, or • Aboriginal arts and culture is some words; 3.2 per cent and activity and keep them environment, though some random “ spaces”, which speaks fluently running art based projects have drawn many participants wanted to critical to creating stronger communities • 29.5 per cent live on their from this source be located around NSW. While homelands; 35.3 per cent do • Volunteering is not easily people described different types not live on homelands; 35.2 understood as such, it is • Community health and wellbeing is of centres, with varying ideas of • Aboriginal artists should be supported to work in communities per cent does not recognise more about commitment to also a readily understood concept what they should contain and how homelands one’s culture and community, for engagement with arts and they should work, a common view to facilitate people expressing their culture, validating the • However, 56 per cent are particularly youth and future culture, particularly amongst is that emerging Aboriginal artists involved in events, ceremonies generations Elders need a place where they can current lived experience and passing it on and organisations while 44 per exhibit/perform their work to test cent are not • Arts and cultural activity is ideas, build confidence and provide • Despite this, many centres and From ABS National Aboriginal and Torres significantly increased where there a stepping stone to exhibiting/ • Arts NSW should be seeking to groups struggle for existence. Strait Islander Social Survey, 2008 are Regional Indigenous Cultural performing in larger venues and create partnerships with other Economic times are getting (released 21 April 2010) tougher, funding opportunities Development Officers (RICDO’s) non-Aboriginal venues. These agencies to bring arts and cultural

Building cultural futures 4 Building cultural futures 5 OVERVIEW

activities to the forefront of work repatriation should be directed to The Association of Northern, Kimberley with Elders and culture, and an with Aboriginal communities. these agencies. and Arnhem Artists (ANKAA) works extensive research library dating back This requires a holistic view of across the Aboriginal art industry in: to the 1800’s. Aboriginal art and culture and But clearly we need to recognise and • Consultation what it can do for Aboriginal support the importance of environment • Advocacy and lobbying It has a website: people and communities and heritage in the development of • Resourcing and supporting www.koorieheritagetrust.com arts and cultural practice through • Training Museums & Galleries NSW as the centres. In its work in this area, the • Referral and networking In and the Northern support and advocacy body for the Office of Country, Culture and Heritage • Marketing and promotion (telling Territory, networks of Indigenous sector has been endorsed by Arts NSW defines two types of physical sites: people about art centres and Knowledge Centres have been to organise and facilitate the summit artists). developed through regional libraries, and prepare the final report. Ready to Return Centres It has a website: www.ankaaa.org.au offering training and engagement in This refers to The Office of multimedia and internet technology, Although not a major funding agency, Environment and Heritage (OEH) Desart is the Association of Central recording oral histories and developing M&G NSW has a proud history of storage facilities which are for the Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft digital storytelling. Based on these support for the Aboriginal sector in safe-keeping of Aboriginal cultural Centres and is committed to: models, the Federal Government its 12 years of operation, including material awaiting planned repatriation • Respect for traditional culture and commissioned a feasibility report for a successive Aboriginal Board members. to Country (i.e. to the Aboriginal Aboriginal peoples’ aspirations National Indigenous Knowledge Centre Overall, the State’s Aboriginal It has now appointed an Aboriginal community of origin). These centres • Employment for Aboriginal people and network, physical or virtual in population will increase from Sector Development Manager and the are a nominated point that enables • Support for sound governance, 2010 but no further announcements 162,871 to 210,659 in 2021. summit is a key part of the devised provenance cultural material to leave professional standards and ethical have been made. strategy. OEH and other collecting agencies and industry practices Queensland Indigenous Knowledge • The Aboriginal population return to Country. • Marketing and advocacy for Centres: of the Western Sydney and Museums, Keeping Places and Aboriginal-owned art centres South-West Sydney is Repatriation Keeping Places • To represent the voice of www.slq.qld.gov.au/about/who/ Almost one quarter (23 per cent) forecast to increase by 26 per This refers to Aboriginal community Aboriginal art centres and their orgchart/ils/ikc of Indigenous people living in cent by 2021 from 29,962 in Much has changed in the museum managed places for the safekeeping artists and advocate effectively NSW participated in at least one 2009 to 37,763 in 2021 sector and its relationship with of repatriated cultural material. Such Indigenous Indigenous creative arts activity • the average age of the , particularly places can be established within a It has a website: www.desart.com.au Knowledge Centres: State’s Aboriginal population around custodianship of artefacts OEH facility, however, they are more • 823 Indigenous people in will increase from 21 years to and return of human remains. From likely to be established within a facility Located in CBD, The Koorie www.ntl.nt.gov.au/about_us/ NSW were employed in 23 years the 1978 UNESCO (United Nations owned or managed by an Aboriginal Heritage Trust Inc is a not-for-profit knowledgecentres a cultural occupation as • the proportion of people aged Education, Scientific and Cultural community group. Aboriginal community organisation their main job in 2006, under 15 years will decrease Organisation) pivotal seminar in that aims to protect, preserve and Closer to home, Aboriginal Affairs and representing 2.3 per cent from 39 per cent to 34 per , Preserving Indigenous While some communities have looked promote the living culture of Aboriginal NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative of all employed Indigenous cent Cultures to the current Museum to local government for support in people of south-eastern Australia. Group have entered into a partnership people in NSW • the proportion of people aged Australia policy document Continuing developing a keeping place in a park or The Trust cares for a diverse range focused on language centres. • 23,800 Indigenous people 15 to 29 years will increase Cultures, Ongoing Responsibilities, other public facility, many have folded of artefacts, artworks, crafts, oral The Sydney City Council remains in NSW visited a cultural from 26 per cent to 28 per Australia is considered at the forefront a keeping place into a larger Aboriginal histories, books, manuscripts, committed to its Journey strategy heritage institution (museum, cent in world best practice for engagement organisation or built an Aboriginal historical material and photographs for Aboriginal engagement and library or art gallery) at least • the proportion of people with Indigenous communities and organisation around a keeping place. and houses four gallery spaces; a visibility including research, walking once in the three months aged 60 years and over will repatriation programs. Those that seek to develop a stand permanent interactive exhibition trails and public artworks. A brochure prior to being interviewed in increase from 5 per cent to 8 alone keeping place have generally that teaches history and culture, of walking trails highlighting sites of 2008, while 28,400 attended per cent Unfortunately, publicity of these struggled with ongoing maintenance and a retail shop that sells authentic Aboriginal significance in the council’s movies, theatres or concerts • about 18 per cent of programs is not always helpful issues. products. area has just been released and can be • 22,000 Indigenous people Aboriginal people in NSW due to the extreme sensitivities downloaded from its website: in NSW aged 15 years and will be living in Western and involved. So much of the outstanding As part of the overall development of Some of the activities offered at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani/ over participated in at least South-West Sydney work in this regard by the National the sector, this summit seeks to align The Trust include art workshops, main.html one Indigenous creative • about 14.5 per cent of people Museum of Australia, the Australian those with keeping place aspirations educational programs, accredited arts activity (including arts will be living on the North Museum and the Division of Country, with parallel opportunities to maintain training, cross-cultural training, Gadigal Information Service (GIS) (of and crafts; music, dance Coast and 12 per cent in the Culture and Heritage, now located and develop cultural engagement. cultural tours and touring exhibitions. which I am Chairperson) should also or theatre; and writing or Hunter within the Office of Environment & The Trust also provides a range of be mentioned. The home of Radio telling stories) in the 12 • the lowest proportion will be Heritage, Department of Premier & Other Models, Other Places programs and services to the Koorie 93.7FM 2LND and now KR00 digital months prior to interview in living in the State’s South- Cabinet is not widely understood and community and the general public radio has always had a vision as an 2008. This equates to 23 per East (3.6 per cent) appreciated. It is not expected that There are other models beyond NSW including assisting community arts media organisation. This was cent of the NSW Indigenous From NSW Department of Aboriginal this summit delve into this important with which summit delegates should members trace their family history; recognised by the Australia Council’s population Affairs press release, May 2009 ongoing work and enquiries about be familiar and consider. youth projects designed to connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander From Arts NSW website Arts Board when GIS was identified

Building cultural futures 6 Building cultural futures 7 OVERVIEW

as a National Leading Organisation for It is up to all of us and your Indigenous arts based on its strengths commitment to this summit is a in music and performance. It is only greatly appreciated step towards a one of five such organisations in the better future. country and the only one on the East Coast. Information is also a key part With Respect and in Recognition, of its original charter which prescribes a library and multimedia development and training. To this end, GIS has developed a Business Plan for a ground floor library and multimedia facility in its current premises in Cope Street, Redfern with a range of potential Steve Miller partners. The GIS model combines Aboriginal Sector Manager digital radio with multimedia, based Museums & Galleries NSW on its archive of interviews and oral history recordings.

GIS does not see its plan as a bid for a Sydney-based keeping place or cultural centre but its model may be of interest to others. An Aboriginal cultural centre of some kind is earmarked in the strategy. Other Aboriginal groups are advocating for prominent cultural centres elsewhere, including Western Sydney and the Gordon and Elaine Syron Collection of Aboriginal art has also lobbied to be the basis of a national Keeping Place.

But to get to that point, the sector as a whole needs to be networked and have confidence in its own futures before the viability of a state or national based model can be considered. The roll out of the National Broadband Network providing high speed internet access for all “Aboriginal mentors undertake Australians, means a web-based presence is vital and may actually Above: Gullaga dance group from the more important role of precede a physical centre. cultural knowledge transfer Monarroo Bobberrer Gudu to new and emerging artists. We know that engagement with the internet for authentic Aboriginal Knowledge of creation representation, networking and stories, regional community development is vital but at the same and personal histories make time, we recognise that knowledge Aboriginal art unique.” and material must have their foundations in physical sites. Capacity From Determining Training and building of this kind is at the core Education Needs in the NSW of this summit for the maintenance, Aboriginal Visual Arts Sector, development and visibility of Aboriginal Regional Arts NSW research paper arts and culture across NSW. by Ruben Allas and Annette Easie (31/1/2010)

Building cultural futures 8 Building cultural futures 9 PEOPLE & PLACES

Goondee Keeping Place, Lightning Ridge That’s not a shed, it’s a goondee for culture

Roy and June Barker decided “We’ve got a good collection of wooden life and when you’re like us, our age, With an eye to the upcoming summit, to be self-sufficient when they tools. Roy makes all those wooden it’s good to have a good memory. I can we asked June what she thought of established their Goondee things because he learnt to make them think back to my happy childhood days a digital Keeping Place as a means Keeping Place in Lightning Ridge when he was a boy. He seen the old and the old people, Aboriginal people I of storing and sharing Aboriginal as a do-it-yourself operation. fellas on the Brewarrina make lived with, our old Aboriginal aunties. knowledge. them. He said he was about or This is why we feel good about passing After being involved in the Brewarrina twelve sitting down watching the old on what we know. And the people “Well that’s still a sharing way Aboriginal Museum, the Barkers set fellas and they wouldn’t let them muck know us and they know our lives too. I isn’t it? I know I’m old and don’t up the keeping place in a shed on their about, they had to sit there quiet and think if you know history, you become really understand but that’s the way Above: Roy and June Barker property in 2000 to store and protect watch them. So Roy picked up the art a part of it. Not one day goes by that everyone’s going, digital. It’s the their own objects and artefacts. From of it, and over the years he’s improved we don’t talk about the history of the new way to be isn’t it? If you set up their Goondee Keeping Place they on it from those days. I think he’s been mission. That’s where our memories something like that and want keeping share their knowledge of Aboriginal down to the school a few times you are and that’s why we like to share places you know, we’ll go on it. Online, history and culture with locals, know, whichever woodwork teacher what we know. And we get that many whatever it is because it is important visitors, school groups, university is interested, so they ask him to come phone calls from people and coming to you know, to preserve this stuff. And classes, backpackers and those down cause he’s covered down there see us you know, asking about their don’t leave it too long. We’re getting tracing family histories. (liability insurance) and he shows people. on, this stuff should’ve been done 10 the kids, the boys down there how to or 20 years ago. Wherever the interest To June, naming their home business a woodwork it, how to make a is from in our Aboriginal people, they keeping place was obvious, “We were and that. They don’t only make them, must keep going. Keep going, don’t let keeping all our Aboriginal history and they got to learn to throw them too!” everything die away.” culture in this little place that we have here,” she says. “After being involved Their operation is self-funded. The with the museum in Brewarrina we Barkers received an air cooler from “If you set up something thought ‘Why should everything be a government department at the like that and want keeping lost?’ Lightning Ridge back then had request of a visiting researcher who places you know, we’ll go all these tourists coming through and couldn’t handle the heat in Lightning on it. Online, whatever it is we wanted to share our Aboriginal Ridge, and a phone/fax machine from because it is important you history and culture with them. the Australian Museum. “That’s the only two things we ever got from the know to preserve this stuff. And don’t leave it too long. General Information “We have mainly local history here government,” June says. from this area. We might have started We’re getting on, this stuff Name: Goondee Keeping Place Goondee is registered as an Aboriginal should’ve been done 10 or Location: 90 Pandora Street, doing it 40 years ago, when we’d go fishing and you’d find stones and Corporation, albeit a small one, to 20 years ago.” Lightning Ridge 2834 things laying buried under the mud and allow June to officially advise people on Phone: 02 6829 2001 in the dirt you know, well we still got their family history. The Barkers have Email: No those sorts of things on display here. extensive knowledge of family groups through the Brewarrina mission where Website: No “We’ve got all the old stones, and Roy and June met. we got a scar tree from up the road Sector Information where the pushed it over. Next “I like the history part of things, and this old fella knows a lot of old Type of organisation: Aboriginal to it we’ve got another tree where Roy Discussion starters: Corporation cut the bark off to show them how it Aboriginal politics too you know but can come off in one piece, like the we don’t get into that, well I don’t. Governance: Self, private It’s sort of part of our lives I think, business canoes used to be made out of. Next 1. How do your Elders share their to that we’ve got a little goondee or a coming off the Brewarrina Mission, and knowledge? Funding: None little gunyah and then we’ve got some living with all these people that were Other revenue streams: skins. forced there to that mission. We heard Consultancy them speak their languages from other 2. What steps have been taken to places. I think it becomes part of your preserve that knowledge?

Building cultural futures 10 Building cultural futures 11 PEOPLE & PLACES

Laddie Timbery’s Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, Huskisson Living culture can be a hard living

Passing on Aboriginal knowledge went on to complete two years of a to visit how much they would be “We’ve tried to get funding but there from one generation to the Creative Arts degree at willing to pay them.” wasn’t a set bracket that covered “We’ve tried to get funding next has been a Timbery family TAFE. what we do.” Jeff says. “Hopefully but there wasn’t a set tradition reaching back thousands Jeff still passes on the knowledge of he will do better at that side of bracket that covered what of years but Laddie Timbery’s “Up until 2000 and the Olympics, craft and tool making, dancing, bush things and take it to the future. we do.” Aboriginal Arts and Crafts now you’d say there was a lot of demand medicine and the like to his own This is more than entertainment, it depends more on business for Aboriginal people to do (cultural) four children and does occasional is education, culture and heritage. knowledge for long term survival. things but then it went back to the workshops and performances at Growing up, it was just part of my way it was,” he says. their schools. For now the hope life and I didn’t take that much The Timbery’s are clan, for the small family craft business notice. I didn’t realize until I was spanning from La Perouse to the Jeff, 41, swapped careers to rests with Jeff’s son Raymond, 19. older how lucky I was and then to and have an iconic status become a paramedic in 2003. Lack A former NSW NP&W Discovery be able to share that with other for their art and craft, selling and of income was the main reason. Ranger, Raymond is now based Aboriginal people, particularly those demonstrating their shell work and in studying Business that had missed out on opportunities Above: by Laddie burnt pokerwork styles from roadside “I still make craft and occasional Management at TAFE. to learn their culture.” Timbery stalls to international museums and artworks and put on cultural galleries. performances but to make it a fulltime occupation just isn’t Through the family owned business possible. The overseas travel was operating as Laddie Timbery’s probably the best part. I did three Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, Laddie cultural exchanges to Canada, has a permanent base at the toured England and Scotland, Lady Denman Heritage complex played didj with the at Huskisson near on Symphony and Shanghai Symphony orchestras in China and toured General Information the South Coast. From this hub, Laddie offers a range of cultural South Korea,” he says. “As cultural Below: Laddie Timbery. Name: Laddie Timbery’s exchange, I’d say there was a Aboriginal Arts and Crafts presentations including boomerang making and throwing, closer cultural connection with the Location: Lady Denman Heritage walks and storytelling. At 70, Laddie Canadians because their cultures Complex, Cnr Road shows no signs of slowing down, and experiences have so much in and Dent Street, Huskisson 2540 travelling to schools across the common with us, we got a lot out of Phone: 02 4441 5999 state. that.” Email: [email protected] Website: www.ladydenman.asn. “Schools have kept me in business Jeff says the school visit work is not au since 1983,” Laddie says, adding consistent enough for both Laddie he has just delivered a bush tucker and himself. Discussion starters: Sector Information medicine course for TAFE. The long term future of the business is another “There is no money in school visits. 1. Are there traditional craftmak- Type of organisation: Family Every school wanted us in NAIDOC matter. Although all his own children ers maintaining culture and mak- business Week and there are only five school are skilled in cultural practice and ing a living in your area? Governance: Self-managed knowledge, the business cannot days in that week which means only Funding: None support them. Laddie’s youngest five schools we can visit. Also, every 2. Should craftmaking as cultural Other revenue streams: son Jeff was keen and for a time Government department wanted us Workshops, performances, able to follow in his dad’s footsteps to do Welcome to Country for free. I maintenance sit within Heritage, cultural tours as a cultural presenter and maker. wonder if they wanted Education, Arts or somewhere He started out as a signwriter and else?

Building cultural futures 12 Building cultural futures 13 PEOPLE & PLACES

Badger Bates, Wilcannia Badger carves his own future

Like many cultural practitioners, There was a fellow by the name of Bill a hammer and a chisel, a mallet and I had two exhibitions, everything sold. Badger (William Brian) Bates Hudson, he was from Moree, he used to a chisel and it can take it. Then I’ll Then TAFE approached me because I “It puts me back to when I worked for NSW National Parks & paint and carve lino. Bill Hudson was control myself and start to carve in had too many in my class. So what we was small and I had nothing. Wildlife for a time, but has gone really my inspiration to carve lino cause stone because it’s different again and done then we sat around like a family It brings the old people back he was just a good mate, an Aboriginal you shouldn’t hit stone too hard or it’ll gathering. We’d have a barbecue and out on his own in recent years. to me even though they fella from Moree. He was the fella that break. It’s just about the mood I’m mothers come along with their kids. have passed on. And I don’t kicked me off and because he passed in. Sometimes it’s the weather, if it’s The TAFE had these rules set up, but really feel any different from Badger was born on the Darling on I just keep on doing it for the sake of too cold then I can’t sit outside and you know these are the people from River at Wilcannia in 1947. He was Bill you know, because he can’t sit with I don’t intend to, or don’t work in a Wilcannia, they’re my people. If they what I used to. I’m just me.” Above: Badger Bates raised by his extended family and his me anymore he’s there in spirit with gallery because I can’t confine myself can’t come here with their babies, with grandmother, Granny Moysey, who me. My partner Sarah, she also inspired to being locked inside. their kids, little ones and their dogs spoke several Aboriginal languages me too. then I don’t want the job, I’m going. and knew many traditional songs and What do you think are the biggest stories. Badger was employed by NSW It’s just an everyday thing to me like challenges facing Aboriginal artists? You know there were little fellas there NP&WS as an Aboriginal Sites Officer breathing. You see something and you We need more communication with in Wilcannia sniffing petrol at the time. for 21 years. This enabled him to want to do it, you know? And what the people out in the bush, like This fella would come along and he’d continue travelling the country looking really, really, really inspires me is when myself, like my people. I’d like to say ‘Uncle Badger can I bring him after important places and teaching some young person will sit down and see a lot of the city artists come out here?’ and they’d be looking over the young people about their culture and say ‘I want to do what you do’. sometimes and share what they know fence, and I’d say ‘Just bring him’. their country. In 2004, he retired from with some of the people out here. Then these TAFE people come up and NP&WS and is now a fulltime artist Do you run a program or do you just sit they say ‘Badger, too many people. and cultural heritage consultant. down with whoever is interested? What do you see as the main You can’t have all these people’ but Badger is an established artist using Whoever’s interested up in Wilcannia. obstacles? it’s not right. I said, ‘If you’re going the mediums of linocut print, wood, The other day we just bought a lot of It’s about funding. What I see with to send these people away, I’m going egg and stone carving and paints and, well I’ve got a house in it, sometimes what seems to happen with them’. You got to work with them, metalwork. Wilcannia and now we got the fence up, in Wilcannia is they’ll get funding for not set rules on people, that’s the way so sometimes I get the kids to paint Aboriginal art or something and then I get on with them and it’s great. What have you been doing since you the fence. Sit down with them and talk some person will get hold of it left NSW National Parks & Wildlife? and then I’ll draw something on the and the get nothing. This Do you get any funding at all from Just doing my artwork and going fence and get them to paint. happens a couple of times and there’s anywhere? General Information across to Wilcannia, ‘cause I originally no backup for them you know? I don’t No. I was thinking about it but I don’t come from Wilcannia. I help the young I think art, whether it’s sitting down want to sound prejudiced or racist but know where to go. Usually when Name: Badger Bates people, try and get them interested in making a pair of clapping sticks or a usually they get the money, and they you ask for funding you got to be an Discussion starters: Location: PO Box 272, Broken art and show them how to go about boomerang or whatever art is, it can work it for a while then it just gets organisation or something like that. Hill 2880 lost. I’m not saying I’m Mr. Perfect If I got funding, I promise, and I don’t things. One of my specialties is lino continue our culture on, and it relaxes 1. Have you considered how Phone: 0429 867 296 prints. I started when I was a little them more. I see them when they or anything but a lot of the people make many promises, but I promise compliance issues such as public Email: sarahmartin2@bigpond. fella. My grandmother used to teach sit around playing video games and won’t work with strangers you know, you that if I got funding it would be me how to carve Emu eggs when I was dressing like Americans, they feel a it sort of mucks them up, and they shared with the Wilcannia people, I’d liability and fire safety impact the com about eight in Wilcannia. I grew up on bit strained, but if you sit down, start just walk away from it because like, go back there, do the art work and development of cultural practice Website: None the riverbank in a tin hut. I said to her teaching them art, they change back to I was a National Parks Officer for 21 pull an exhibition off with my funding and artistic expression in your if I ever got it. I’ll show you what we one day ‘I’m going to make stuff with who they are. years and coming from Wilcannia I area? Sector Information steel and try and join it together with was scared to work in an office for a make here in the bush. Type of organisation: Individual fire,’ so even when I was small I was Could you tell me a little bit about the long time. talking about it. Then I got out on me different techniques you use? 2. From traditional carving to Governance: n/a own and with National Parks, I started A lot of people call me a sculptor but I went across in ‘95 to Wilcannia. I working with circular saw blades Funding: None whittling stuff. My first stone I carved I’m not a sculptor, I’m a carver. To took some time off National Parks and rusty bike chains, how else Other revenue streams: sales and I took a job at TAFE for a while. was for the sculpture symposium for me, ‘sculptor’ is a strange word. As can cultural practice continue and of art through exhibitions; Fred Hollows here in . an artist, I don’t know how to define They said they couldn’t draw, they adapt? Would cultural exchange consultancy myself really. If I’m cranky sometimes couldn’t carve anything and I said I’ll carve wood. You can hit wood with ‘Well I can’t either’ but in six weeks, between cities and towns help?

Building cultural futures 14 Building cultural futures 15 PEOPLE & PLACES

Dharriwaa Elders Group, Walgett Plenty to do for Walgett Elders

Above: DEG Elders Councillors Dharriwaa Elders Group (DEG) Members come from , The DEG convenes the Walgett In previous years the Dharriwaa Elders Vera Dennis and Gladys Walford at began with project funding and Ngiyambaa Gamilaraay Yuwaalaraay Language Group has actively sought to pass on “Youth these days have lost the launch of Memories of Living auspiced by the Walgett countries. Teaching Group (WGYLTG) in order to cultural knowledge to Walgett youth their cultural identity and drive language teaching in Walgett by undertaking youth and Elders’ Outside Walgett which both women Aboriginal Medical Service in we are trying to bring it 1998. It became an association The purpose of the association is to and support its ongoing sustainability. camps, youth and Elders’ site trips back to them.” contributed to extensively support Aboriginal Elders to resume A strategic plan has been developed and an Elders’ school program. In in 2000 with the late George leadership roles in the community, by the WGYLTG so it can focus its the 2010/11 year the DEG has been Rose OAM as its Founding keeping active and healthy; promote work for the sustainability of language working with the Dept of Education Chairperson. Dharriwaa is a local Aboriginal cultural knowledge programs and teaching in Walgett. and Catholic Schools Office with common meeting place word from and identity and develop the Walgett Aboriginal cultural curriculum surrounding languages. Aboriginal community. Another important activity of the DEG development and planning for new is its work to protect the Aboriginal Elders school programs beginning in Local Elder Richard Lake talks about The Elders Centre provides a much- cultural values of places, biodiversity the 2011/12 year, funds permitting. the success of the Dharriwaa Elders needed meeting place and contact and landscapes. It has produced Group: point for Aboriginal Elders and those a cultural values register which it The kids really enjoy the Elders and who wish to engage respectfully with uses as a land and site management youth camps. What we do is teach The key achievement of the Dharriwaa them. A weekly Elder’s health program and mapping tool. Liaison with legal them about and stuff Elders Group is to provide a place and is provided by health stakeholders advisors, landholders and government like that. Because we take people out support for Elders to meet, heal and who meet regularly to co-ordinate is a regular activity and our data is with us that know these things, I’ve provide cultural leadership for their the program. By providing an Elders used by the DEG and government to had kids coming back saying ‘When’s community. Centre, the DEG is able to undertake assist with on-the-ground compliance the next one! When’s the next one!’ cultural activities. The provision of with NSW and Commonwealth laws. Teach them respect, stuff like that. Key outcomes include: the Elders’ meeting place facilitates Elders’ healing, leadership, decision- - The provision of transport, staff making and advisory services and and infrastructure to facilitate is the key to the DEG being able Elders’ involvement in the centre and to undertake cultural management Left: The Memories of Living Outside community activities, programs. Walgett Exhibition, Richard Lake in General Information - A cultural keeping place foreground Name: Dharriwaa Elders Group - Cultural exhibitions The DEG also maintains a main street Location: 47 Fox St Walgett NSW - A cultural values register that cultural exhibition space, Walgett’s first Aboriginal arts and crafts retail 2832 records Elders’ knowledge about places and why they are significant outlet, cultural collection and policy Phone: 02 6828 2619 - Maintenance of a collection and library. The DEG is developing a Email: info@ library of resources cultural tourism visitors’ rest spot dharriwaaeldersgroup.org.au - Maintenance (including the rescue) by the river for Walgett, and has Website: www. of threatened places of cultural value developed in the past interpretative signs for Council regarding Aboriginal dharriwaaeldersgroup.org.au - Production of a community monthly magazine for 10 years (discontinued cultural heritage. due to funding cuts in June 2010) and Sector Information other learning resources The DEG has just produced a language Discussion starters: Type of organisation: Aboriginal - The provision of advocacy and resource booklet about the Narran organisation support for Elders to have a voice Lakes creation story. Until June 2010 we produced the monthly community 1. How are your Elders engaged Governance: Board and develop and implement programs in the community whether it is with magazine Yundiboo which was regularly in youth arts and Funding: Federal and State schools, youth and family social distributed to schools and community culture? governments programs etc. Youth these days have and provided cultural information and news. Other revenue streams: Support lost their cultural identity and we are 2. How has project funding helped trying to bring it back to them from individuals and companies build your organisation?

Building cultural futures 16 Building cultural futures 17 PEOPLE & PLACES

Monaroo Bobberrer Gudu Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Eden workers create cultural sea change

Above: Monaroo Bobberer Gudu Aboriginal Cultural Centre Built by the Eden LALC in 1994 to was left undone was the Monaroo the spears and things for our NAIDOC and back again. They wrote another preserve and revitalise Aboriginal people. There were lots of other areas program and we make bark canoes one called Mutton Fish: The Surviving “The cultural centre is culture from the area, Monaroo of identity but the Monaroo people and dugouts. I’m one of the few people Culture of Aboriginal People and amazing, it’s been done Bobberrer Gudu (MBG) has seemed to have slipped off the face of left alive that knows how to make the on the South Coast of NSW, right in as much as grown under the guidance of the the earth. So we decided we’d build spear tips. I’m doing it so they go into which is about abalone, a real part of Aboriginal people actually a centre that would research and the cultural centre and on account our cultural lifestyle. Twofold Aboriginal Corporation to built it from below the document all that related to Aboriginal of these young people too. And we ground to the top of the roof accommodate a business (AJN people in the Monaroo area. We’ve wanna raise up, if we can, in the next As well as the organisation, the centre Oysters). done language research for the whole couple of years a gumleaf band for the itself expanding all the time, we’ve under supervision. So the coast from Bermagui to Nowra and cultural centre. Some of the kids are got an active archive, an active Board building itself is a unique Since the establishment of the documented all the language that’s keen to learn how to play a gumleaf. and an active centre that’s being feature.” Bega Valley Aboriginal Advancement been let go of that we know now, used so there have been lots of main Association, Pastor Ossie Cruse has about 180 words. We also found in Our youth camps have been operating achievements, put it that way. The been actively involved with Aboriginal our research that Aboriginal people since 1975 and we haven’t slackened main one is our culture slipping away Affairs, the National Aboriginal interacted in two major ceremonies, in our youth program. There’s about so quickly and to preserve it, to have Conference, NSW Aboriginal Land the ceremony up on 10 or 11 youth groups now. I think it intact in an archive is just priceless. Council, advised both state and federal the tablelands at Kosciusko, and the they meet in this . Our governments on Aboriginal issues, and whale ceremony in . group is the Jarndoo; it means “killer We work differently to a lot of other championed various community and whale”. All these young people they communities even though we are from local programs for the advancement of In our research we found there was like to have fun. Some call themselves all over the place. We work as one Aboriginal people. a corridor from Eden all the way up different tribal names such as Bush people. We have tremendous rapport to Kosciusko that Aboriginal people Ant and Goanna. We wanna try and with the schools. We’ve got 45 kids Why do you think your model has been had used. Then we found that there get them away from drugs and alcohol going through secondary and we hope so successful? was a corridor of campsites about and suicide and that rubbish. There’s to get them all through. We developed I think it has been successful because 25kms away that go all the way up. probably 18-20 in each group but a cadetship to get our kids into early of people. We’ve always worked We haven’t fully completed it yet but there’s lots of activities going on. It’s training in years 9-12. They go into together. We are a unique community we’ve walked the whole distance open to all young people Aboriginal doing cadetships with whatever trade in that most of us came out of what now and we’ve found the single trail and non-Aboriginal. they want to do, doing something General Information was called the season workers. There that our people have used for many practical one or two days a week. Name: Monaroo Bobberrer Gudu was no fixed mission here, most of thousands of generations. We’ve just finished, with the cooperation of the main agencies, Aboriginal Cultural Centre us were season workers who worked together across the country. Then the That’s the sort of stuff that we’re our land and sea country plan. We’ve Location: Cnr Mitchell and picking machines put us out of work, putting in the archives in our cultural developed that with all the key players Mailing St, Eden 2551 so we found ourselves living in shanty centre and we’ve got four ladies in the region. We’ve got the local Phone: 02 6495 6343 ‎ towns on the river banks and car that have done a lot of research. government there, National Parks, Now we’re doing arts and crafts and Forests NSW and Primary Industries. It Email: edenlalcprojects@bigpond. bodies and everywhere until in 1968 Discussion starters: com we formed the Bega Valley Aboriginal things, and documenting these things probably took us three years all up but Advancement Association. We decided digitally. we completed that this year. So that’s Website: No that we’d relocate everybody out of going to put us in good stead to get 1. How do heritage, arts and The cultural centre is amazing, going with a lot of our programs here. the shanty huts and things into a good culture bring your community Sector Information home and that’s how we came to be it’s been done right in as much as together? Type of organisation: Aboriginal at Eden. Aboriginal people actually built it from What are some of the main Organisation below the ground to the top of the achievements of MBG? What is the focus of the research roof under supervision. So the building The main achievement would be the 2. How might language, Governance: Volunteer Board undertaken at MBG? itself is a unique feature. preservation of Aboriginal culture. Our traditional festivals, local bush Funding: No main source of ladies have written two books, one is My involvement has been pretty foods and musical instruments, funding extensive in a lot of areas and what What sort of cultural activities are run called Bittangabeetribe: An Aboriginal as examples, assist your Other revenue streams: I’ve found in being involved is there’s from MBG? Story From Coastal NSW, that traces community’s cultural expression Donations an acute loss of Aboriginal culture The ladies are here having their a tribe of Aboriginal people from the over the years. One of the areas that class today. I am making some of coast to the Bogong Moth (ceremony) and identity?

Building cultural futures 18 Building cultural futures 19 PEOPLE & PLACES

Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum Heritage site fed thousands but museum struggles

The Phoenix Project seeks to What type of land is the museum on? How did the museum come about? got the display area up to where it “People do volunteer for Above: Inside the Brewarrina restore one of the world’s oldest Who owns it? How is it managed? It was the community itself wanted was before. We’ve still got some work Aboriginal Cultural Museum The building rests on . It’s to have a place. It came out of a fear to do outside. We’ve got a purpose things, all sorts of things, engineered structures, the but they don’t regard Brewarrina fish traps. a Crown Land Reserve and as such that their culture would be lost and landscape area for medicinal plants the owner is the Department of Land especially that they wouldn’t have it but we haven’t got any plants in there themselves as a volunteer Operating out of the Brewarrina and Property Management (DLPM). to teach the young ones. They wanted yet. We’ve got the gardens and the and when you talk about Business Centre, Project Manager They are happy for the museum to be a central point where they could watering systems in, we’re waiting being a volunteer they don’t Finch has overseen the there. It used to have a Trustee Board collect their cultural knowledge and on funding so hopefully we’ll get the quite grasp the concept.” conservation work on the fish traps but that folded when the museum hold it, not just hold it as historical okay for funding to put plants in. We’re which were badly damaged during closed. The DLPM was looking fact but hold it and keep perpetuating doing it all on a shoestring, that’s the 10 years of . The Brewarrina for someone to take it on, so the its knowledge onto Indigenous youth. problem. The other thing that beats us Cultural Museum alongside the fish Brewarrina Business Centre has the It’s documented that they had up to is time. I’ve been on it for two years traps is also struggling to reopen as temporary trusteeship of the museum. 5000 people in their gatherings here. and my contract runs out at the end of a fulltime operation, as a means to It is planned that once the museum The fact that they had such a huge June. improve the local economy. is back up to capacity it will have habitation at certain times along a Trustee Board. It sits overlooking those river banks close by means that We don’t have a structure for the staff. When, how and why was the museum the Brewarrina Fish Traps which is there’s a lot of stuff still around. There’s not a big understanding of and cultural centre established? the oldest engineered structure in being a volunteer in Bre and there are About 20 years ago it was very the world and potentially the oldest Probably our main source of cultural all sorts of reasons for that. People do much a community museum. It was man made structure in the world. It integrity comes from Roy and June volunteer for things, all sorts of things, established because of something actually has one of the best spots for Barker, so whenever I hit anything but they don’t regard themselves as the community particularly wanted. viewing that and as such, it is also an that there’s a bit of to and fro in the a ‘volunteer’ and when you talk about The museum buildings are actually interpretative centre for the fish traps. community, I just refer back to them. being a volunteer they don’t quite constructed out of domes, it’s done The museum’s aim is mainly to protect As soon as I say ‘This is how Roy grasp the concept. We did go down like this to represent gunyas. It’s the knowledge, the Indigenous culture and June said to do it’ then I’m fine, the line of applying for an Indigenous purpose built and doesn’t require any of the surrounding area, but also to nobody queries me. community volunteer, and our idea was air conditioning as it keeps the correct pass that knowledge on particularly if we had staff or volunteers they could temperature in the display area for the to the younger Indigenous people of How does the museum figure in come in and mentor and show how the General Information artefacts day and night, winter and the area and more broadly to people of the business development plans for business should be run. Name: The Brewarrina Aboriginal summer, which is quite something in other cultures. Brewarrina? Cultural Museum itself - the architect actually won an It’s actually one of the focal What do you think are the main award for it when it was built. Location: Cnr Bathurst & Darling Its primary aim is the education and points. Especially with the tourist barriers stopping the museum and the keeping of knowledge rather than development plan, the fish traps and other centers like it from moving Street, Brewarrina, 2839 The centre closed about nine years a commercial aspect. The tourism the museum are seen as the two forward? Phone: 02 6830 5152 ago for a variety of reasons that is what will keep the museum open biggest draw cards to Brewarrina. Unrealistic expectations. People Email: [email protected] just all happened at once. We had as that is what will bring the funding What Brewarrina has got is a lot don’t realize how long it takes to get Website: N/A a community opening August 2010 in. Already the response we have of of people going from east to west, something up and going. I think just all though we have been working on Sector Information people going through it is phenomenal. west to east because we sit in the the physical things of getting the jobs it since July 2009. Since then we middle between Lightning Ridge and done and getting the money with the Type of organisation: Aboriginal have had public tours through there. We also have a of items Bourke. Tourism NSW has catalogued museum - and especially a community Discussion Starters: Organisation under the We don’t have the capacity at the that aren’t for display and need to that quite well and potentially museum - people have very specific Cooperatives act moment to have the doors open all-day be locked away such as men only that’s 30,000 people a year through ideas. Most of Brewarrina would like 1. How is volunteering Governance: Trusteeship everyday but we do have a set tour in business stuff. We do have some older Brewarrina. The trick is to get them to this fully staffed and doors open all- the morning that was conducted by understood in your community? temporarily held by the men that are willing to help us with stop and stay. day everyday, but it’s not going to the project people. One of those has that but until we get a secure place happen. Things don’t happen that way Brewarrina Business Centre actually gone on to set up a tour guide for these items that’s probably our What needs to happen to make the unless you get a benefactor but it’s 2. Could your community use a Funding: Limited to project business and at the time being she biggest risk at the moment. museum a sustainable success? very much a community museum and “phoenix” project, a business funding does them. When the Museum gets to We’re still sort of very fledgling and if they don’t want an outside benefactor centre and business plan for the capacity where we are open all-day appearing to take over. Other revenue streams: Guided we hit a rocky patch, we could falter, arts and cultural expression everyday, the museum staff will do the even now. What we’ve done is we’ve tours tours themselves. development?

Building cultural futures 20 Building cultural futures 21 PEOPLE & PLACES

Wiradjuri Condoblin Corporation, Condoblin Culture is an asset

The Wiradjuri Centre “But how do you assimilate and Generation, The Apology, Native (WCC) began in 2003 as part integrate a 40,000 year old culture in Title, Economic Reform, Health, Social “The centre should be linked of the Ancillary Deed of Native the modern world? and Emotional, Wellbeing, Engaging to culture and I believe that Title Agreement between Individuals and Communities, Social culture is sustainability.” Barrick Gold of Australia and the “The centre should be linked to Inclusion and Closing . culture and I believe that culture Wiradjuri Native Title Party. The is sustainability. The circle shape “A lot of the Wiradjuri nation was part WCC operates in several fields, of the building represents learning of the Stolen Generation, lots of our including beef farming, training, circles which were essential to our Elders were taken,” Percy says. “The design and sustainability, understanding of all things. The cultural centre is a statement on the catering and furniture making. It dreamtime tells two stories, one is Stolen Generation and that we can employs more than 40 Aboriginal an Earthly journey which is a short never let that happen to our people people in the local Condobolin journey and then we are returned again. It’s insurance that this truly area. to Mother Earth to embark on our is an environment for learning and a Forever Journey. Like this, the centre’s place for aspirations.” The CEO of The Wiradjuri Condoblin circular shape represents coming full Centre, Percy Knight, is eagerly circle.” awaiting the completion of the Wiradjuri Study Centre later this year. “The centre will be about social “The centre is 95 per cent complete inclusion, reconnecting with culture, and Mr. Rudd will be opening it. We learning, language, tourism, arts and General Information asked him because of his Apology to education.” Name: Wiradjuri Condoblin the when he was Prime Minister. The centre came out of Further, the original vision of the Below: The circular shape of the Corporation the Native Title agreement with Lake Wiradjuri Study Centre, as seen from Location: 80 Bathurst Street WSC is “the foundation for cultural Cowal and is a centre for the Wiradjuri rejuvenation, social change and the air Condobolin, 2877 Nation which is in the heart of NSW.” sustainable self-determination by Phone: 02 6895 4664 the Aboriginal people of the wider Email: enquiries@ The Wiradjuri Study Centre (WSC) Wiradjuri nation. The result will be is a large, circular shaped building, a vibrant, independent, sustainable wiradjuricondocorp.com built using compressed mud brick Website: www. and self-determining Aboriginal methods, which the WCC previously community. The WSC is proposed as wiradjuricondocorp.com employed to build the first compressed an iconic centre for Aboriginal cultural earth brick building in the region for understanding, learning, research, Sector Information a local horticultural company. The training and wellbeing.” Study Centre has been built in the Type of organisation: Not-for- same way, constructed by teams of Profit organisation The Cultural Centre and the Study local Aboriginal people using locally Centre aim to contribute to a culture Governance: Governed by a board made products such as compressed of healing and reconciliation for of 5 members and 1 secretary earth blocks and timber. Additionally, the Wiradjuri and a commitment Funding: Government funded by the interior will be furnished by to closing the gap. The centre will local Aboriginal craftspeople. Percy have a language arm to preserve, ICC and IBA believes that the local community Other revenue streams: A ground maintain and teach local languages; can contribute substantially to the an arts centre for both art making and swell project which involves construction process. “It’s important exhibiting and a cultural appreciation compost revenue, city to soil to think about culture as an asset,” he training course that will assist the project, Australian post contract, says. public, private and community sector cleaning and a organisations, to engage and interact trucking logistics company with on topics as diverse as history, culture, custom,

Building cultural futures 22 Building cultural futures 23 PEOPLE & PLACES

Armidale Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place, Armidale Foreign director builds respect, unites

Above: Armidale Cultural Centre community and Keeping Place Director Daisy The Armidale Aboriginal Cultural So what have you done to develop the we’ve got Board members that come like hanging, preparing, preparing Williams Centre and Keeping Place business side? from all the different families, different the painting right up to talking to the “It’s very important that has had a chequered career. One of the first things we had to do tribes and we’ve got seven-eight Board press or marketing their work, going to Aboriginal cultural centres When Director Daisy Williams, was product development. By product members and they’re very active. I different galleries. and keeping places demand must say at least five are Elders who originally from Malaysia, arrived I mean not just a static product, but a level of respect and are fairly experienced and involved What would you like to see happen in the Centre was at the verge of we also had to develop programs like because we are demanding exhibitions and workshops. So we in the community who are on other the future? closing down. But through solid it, we have to really behave had to focus on product development mainstream boards as well. Equal respect, and not just including in that equal, professional business management the Board initially, but because when you talk an Aboriginal organisation into of Custodians and Daisy have about business you also have to talk So the cultural centre’s governance the mix so that they feel they are way.” secured triennial funding, built about management and finance, staff has improved? listening to Aboriginal voices but new partnerships and brought the training and communication, so all that Yes, I think in both ways because to wholeheartedly include us - so community back to the Centre. comes under management. the Board really understands the there will be a request for Aboriginal community, so they have very good employment in other areas not just in Can you tell us a little bit about your Can you outline the staffing and input and ideas on how to move the cultural centre. self and your involvement with the organisational structure? the center forward at the same organisation? We have about four volunteers but they time. The Board needed some When they have tours at the I’m originally from Malaysia. I started are all non-Aboriginal people, six staff corporate governance training so Sustainable Living Centre and include working in Australia as the Director of members who are part-time, three we got somebody to run a session. different sustainable practices, they University of New England Language Aboriginal and three non-Aboriginal. Another thing is the Board is very have to use the traditional and current Centre. The centre was having a huge well informed of what’s happening. Aboriginal sustainable practices. debt and we managed to turn the What are the key achievements? Every week on a Monday I meet with And to be included in the design, the place around and started generating I think we’ve become an asset to the Chairperson and she’s informed overall design. In the future, there surplus funds to the University in the community. I think community of what’s happening at the centre. is the promotion of Aboriginal art just two years and five months. Then Name: Aboriginal Cultural Centre members just feel that the centre is The Aboriginal community has more overseas, so that is something that I I heard that the Aboriginal Cultural confidence because their Elders are and Keeping Place here for them so even our local non- am working towards. Centre and Keeping Place was on Aboriginal community members, when on the Board. They have confidence Location: 128 Kentucky Street the verge of closing down. They were their families stay, they are very proud and they are all informed as to what’s How have you built such a strong Armidale, 2350 advertising for a Director and I applied to show them all around. happening. They’re friends, and they’re network? Phone: 02 6771 3606 and finally got the job. The Cultural Elders and they’re knowledgeable. I By what we do, it’s very important Centre itself has been around for When I first started it was so hard think that’s so useful. that Aboriginal Cultural Centres Email: [email protected] over 22 ½ years. For 17 years it had Website: www.acckp.com.au to get put on the heritage bus route and Keeping Places demand a level a varied career, up and down. Some and there are still no Aboriginal Is it part of the plan to develop local of respect and because we are years it was good but it was always organisations on that route. This Aboriginal art identity? demanding it, we have to really behave Sector Information not sustainable. week the Armidale Council wanted One of the things we do is we launch in that equal, professional way. Once Type of organisation: to meet with our Board of Executives a new artist’s career every other you start to get something up and Now after 5 ½ years I’ve been Incorporated Association and myself about how they’re planning year. The first artist we launched was running and doing things well, a there, the growth has not only been Deborah Walford. We launched her Governance: Registered this big sustainable centre behind the network comes into the mix. sustainable it has really increased. In cultural centre and how they want to career in 2006. Then 2008, because it Organisation the past we were 100 per cent funded. include us into the mix. So not only the was our 20th anniversary, we launched So what I’m saying is that really Discussion starters: Funding: Local, State and Federal In the first full year since I was around community has learnt to just accept two artists’ careers, Leo Wright and running it professionally in all manners, goverments we generated about 18 per cent of our we are here. Nick Levy and then 2010 was Steve not just respect for funding bodies, but income, then that grew to 26 per cent, Other revenue streams: Café Widdup. For 2012 we have a young all other aspects. Once you have that 1. Can a representative Board then 29 per cent, then at the close of Who owns the organisation and could boy from Armidale named Alistair Ahoy. trust and they know you are running it be formed around your cultural sales, sale of artworks from last financial year we were 36 ½ per you explain the governance structure? professionally, they want to be a part activities? exhibitions, shop sales, hiring cent. It is growing so that eventually it The centre itself is registered, not So when we launch the person’s of that success as well and we can of rooms, catering for functions, becomes financially viable and it’s self as an Aboriginal organisation but it’s career, the following year we give them also ride on their success. cultural workshops and corporate funding, so we don’t have to depend on registered under the Incorporation a joint exhibition where they can get 2. What local businesses grants and different governments and partners Act. Since I’ve been here, because I paired with an established artist and support your cultural centre and policy changes. don’t belong to a particular family, now they learn from them practical things activities?

Building cultural futures 24 Building cultural futures 25 PEOPLE & PLACES

Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, Leichhardt Boomalli continues with volunteers Boomalli Aboriginal Artists are exceptional for their dedication What problems have there been with Where is Boomalli heading? Above: The gallery space at Cooperative is one of Australia’s and commitment as volunteers to this funding? Boomalli will continue to represent the “Governance and the Arts NSW stopped funding in 2009 as art and culture of the people whose Boomalli longest running Aboriginal owned unfunded cooperative. capacity to run a business Boomalli had not acquitted previous language groups encompass the state have been the issues that and operated art galleries but How important is membership to a funding. Boomalli has applied to Arts of NSW. have created the greatest has struggled to survive in recent cooperative? NSW for funding for 2012. National difficulties for Boomalli. The years. Membership is essential to your Arts and Crafts Industry Support How does the current location current Board, members and cooperative as the members are the funding was withdrawn in 2009. The compare with others? Boomalli was established in other volunteers are striving source of creativity. They create department Boomalli had rented in several Chippendale in 1987 to address some change and the identity of the also incorrectly claimed that it was locations, the first in Meagher Street, to make Boomalli a best of the inequities experienced by cooperative and they contribute their the organisation to which the premises Chippendale. It has been in its practice organisation in Indigenous artists. Now in Leichhardt, time. owned by Tullagulla and which housed present location since 2003. Now it governance and business.” Boomalli continues to provide a voice Boomalli should be returned. Boomalli has ownership of 55-59 Flood Street, for urban Aboriginal artists in Sydney What are the pros and cons of a currently has an application for Leichhardt, Boomalli will develop its and across NSW particularly. Founding cooperative? funding with the successor to that exhibitions, programs and meeting member explains In 1988 Boomalli Aboriginal Artists department. The Indigenous Land place reflecting its Aboriginal identity. how Boomalli continues to live up Cooperative Limited was registered Corporation has approved and enabled to its name, drawn from three NSW under the NSW Cooperation Act. All the transfer of the title of 55-59 Flood What effect has an organisation like language groups meaning ‘To strike; to members of Boomalli are Aboriginal. Street Leichhardt from Tullagulla to Boomalli had on the mainstream art make a mark’. The structure of the cooperative has Boomalli. This year the Indigenous scene? not been the source of problems. Heritage Program ruled that Boomalli Boomalli will celebrate its 25th year Tell us about yourself. was ineligible as it had not established of survival and striving for recognition I am a Bundjalung woman who came Why has Boomalli stayed as a that Boomalli is a place of Indigenous for NSW artists. Boomalli has to Sydney in 1992. I met up with cooperative and not changed to an significance to the community. NSW experienced some dramatic moments Phemie (Euphemia Bostock) and Aboriginal corporation? with 28.7 per cent of Australia’s in its ‘growing up time’ but we are Michael Riley and Gary Foley. We The NSW Registry of Co-operatives Aboriginal population has received now focused on advancing the art of all got on really well and Boomalli and Associations has provided great 12.1 per cent of IHP funding for the NSW language group people and we came into being. I was also running assistance in Boomalli’s resurgence. years 2006/11. Leichhardt Municipal have just secured our first permanent my shop Designer Aboriginals which I Boomalli will reconsider its structure Council has provided funding for an home, signing the deed of transfer this established in 1985 in , Sydney. in the future. exhibition associated with the Gay and month. Lesbian Mardi Gras and it has held its General Information How was Boomalli formed? What changes have been made to the exhibition by artists with disabilities Does Aboriginal contemporary art have Name: Boomali Aboriginal Artists Boomalli was established in 1987 Board? at Boomalli. a role in the transmission of cultural by 10 Aboriginal artists, to promote Cooperative Boomalli has changed its rules to knowledge? Aboriginal culture and maintain artist Location: 55-57 Flood Street, allow for two non-Aboriginal directors What are some of the difficulties All art by all Aboriginal people is practice in NSW. Leichhardt, 2040 with special skills. The current Board Boomalli has had to overcome? about the transference of original is Euphemia Bostock, Chair, Bronwyn Governance and the capacity to run knowledge and cultural memory. Our Phone: 02 9560 2541 How does Boomalli work as a Bancroft, Sheryl Connors-Young, a business have been the issues that art is intrinsically linked to our lives, Email: [email protected] cooperative? James Wilson-Miller, Di Yerbury and have created the greatest difficulties our families and our communities and Cooperatives essentially run on good Website: www.boomalli.com.au Craig Collie. for Boomalli. The current Board friends. Art is a life source for us. will and hard work. Honesty, diligence, members and other volunteers are care and understanding for your other Why do you think Boomalli has been striving to make Boomalli a best What advice and or lessons could Sector Information cooperative members will ensure able to survive so long? practice organisation in governance Boomalli give to other Aboriginal Type of organisation: Cooperative success/happiness for all involved. and business. organisations? under the Cooperative Act Boomalli’s members have had to re-invigorate the cooperative When starting any organisation, work What is the main role of the board? Discussion starters: Governance: Aboriginal Board several times. Volunteers have What are some of the success stories out roles and responsibilities. Know The Boomalli Board is there for with non-Aboriginal expertise worked thousands of hours in the among the artists of Boomalli? the information about governance good governance, planning and last two years to sustain Boomalli, Works by Euphemia Bostock, Brenda and research other successful 1. Have governance issues held seconded, all volunteer management of members. The which currently has no paid staff L Croft, , , organisations. Never, never give up. your organisation back? Funding: None Board has established best practice or Australian or State Government r e a and Michael Riley are in the Other revenue streams: Artwork principles, where we strive for the funding. inaugural hanging of the Indigenous highest ideals. Any Board has to work 2. Would an artists’ cooperative sales and licensing work Galleries at the National Gallery of hard and the Boomalli Board Directors Australia. work in your area?

Building cultural futures 26 Building cultural futures 27 PEOPLE & PLACES

People of the Reeds, Cabbage Tree Island Art represents the culture of place

People of the Reeds from some of the boys to come here but on Cabbage Tree and we had to get years, we’ve done a lot of work with Cabbage Tree Island grew an they won’t! They do their own thing. their support to reopen it. There were the school. We’ve taken our artwork “We want the arts and impressive reputation for 20 There’s a few blokes up here that’s a few electrical faults that had to be into the school and shown it to crafts to stay there, ‘cause doing carving and making boomerangs fixed, OH&S, all that stuff, they helped Aboriginal kids at Cabbage Tree Island all the stories and our years with help from the Bunjum and stuff like that. us with a range of stuff. It will be Public School. They have visits from culture is in our artwork and Cooperative and CDEP funding. privately managed, but we are getting non-Aboriginal kids that come in and it’s one of a kind. We just Leanne Anderson, one of the When we first got it up and running support from Bunjum to get back on the Elders sit down and tell the story want it to be there for our original members, tells about the we had an exhibition to let people our feet. about the painting and what used to kids.” recent revival of the organisation know that we’re back. And we had happen at the school. You know in that in Lismore, so that was recently What has been the main benefit of those days they didn’t have things like Above: Leanne Anderson, original as a private company. member of People of the Reeds, and we have an exhibition at Boomali People of the Reeds to Cabbage Tree computers and technology, it was hard now, that’s with the Casino crew, the Island? for them. So we tell them the stories from Cabbage Tree Island Could you tell me a little about your Saltwater and the Ballina crew. To let Just to let people know about our of how it used to be and how it was organisation? them know that there’s local art out culture. Cabbage Tree Island is there, hard. One lady, she told them about It was a group of ladies, about 20 of there, there’s NSW art, there’s also it’s an Aboriginal community and one ration day when they were giving us, we first started about 20 years local Aboriginal art. there’s a lot of heritage and it’s being out food instead of money. That was of ago as a CDEP program and that was passed on. They’re writing their stories great significance in those days, and run by Bunjum Coop. They had all of How was the exhibition funded? and painting it into the artwork and very important. these other little programs going and Well the one we are having in Sydney, letting people know that it’s there. we formed an arts group and that was that’s funded by Arts . Aboriginal art is there and we want What does the organisation mean to run then by TAFE in Lismore. They it to be passed onto our kids, passed you? came on board and then ACE (Adult Has People of the Reeds been onto the next generation. So we want People of the Reeds means Cabbage and Community Education, supported successful? the arts and crafts to stay there, Tree Island, that’s what it means. by NSW Department of Education) Oh yes, every exhibition that ‘cause all the stories and our culture People of the Reeds are Cabbage Tree came on board in Lismore and kept we’ve had - and we’ve had a lot of is in our artwork and it’s one of a kind. Island. So it’s about Cabbage Tree the program running. They helped us exhibitions over the years. We have We just want it to be there for our Island and where we grew up, it’s that with the program to keep it funded and a lot at the Lighthouse, we’ve even kids. relationship. It’s about our homeland later on down the track there were had a fashion show after it, and we’ve and where we’re from. more ladies, so we got bigger. got great feedback, great response We do have a lot of artists, most of from it, so the artists have gotten well the artists who work here in the shed Leanne Anderson would like to thank Then, sort of when the CDEP known. So they know that we’re out are Elders, so just getting people Jan Levy and Sue Heywood for their collapsed, the government shut all there and they’ll say ‘Oh you’re back! to know our stories and about our support. General Information our funding down, so it all collapsed Name: Leanne Anderson We were wondering what happened to culture. There is Aboriginal art in NSW and it was at a standstill cause there your stuff’. So we’ve got an exhibition you know, it’s not only from the Top Location: Cabbage Tree Island, was no funding or organising body to space in Ballina, that gallery, you End. There is local art around this NSW get it going. ACE kept the funding know the one in River Street near area. Good talented art, so just to let Phone: 0421 664 564 up for a while and supported us to the Richmond Chambers there? We people know we’re there. We’re out keep it going. We had courses from display there with the Ballina crew. there. Email: Leannemarciaanderson@ Cert 1 right through to Cert IV to gmail.com Mostly we sell a few things through keep it going and I went and done the shops in and Ballina, How is art keeping culture alive? Web: None my Cert IV in TAA, that’s “teaching Nimbin, Lismore and through galleries Well it’s the traditional stories, it’s the Discussion starters: and assisting”, that was also funded and stuff when we have an exhibition. artwork, it’s the heritage, it’s keeping by ACE in Lismore. So I’ve done my Sector Information it so it’s there for the kids, for our 1. Do artists in your area bond teaching and assisting, so we’ve just What would you like to see happen in children. When they grow up they’re Type of organisation: Private got it opened again. A few of the around a distinctive style, business the future for People of the Reeds? going to need that and know all about ladies have moved on and got other Well we’ve gotten through Bunjum the community and their culture and medium and/or identity? Governance: Self governed jobs, so there’s only two of us left to Cooperative, they’ve helped us to how important it is. I’ve done a lot Funding: Not currently funded keep it up and running again, trying get it up and running. To get to use of work with the local school around 2. Do they have an accessible Other revenue streams: Art sales to get it going as our own business the building again, we’ve got a big NAIDOC and stuff like that. So, me organisation. We’re still trying to get space to meet, share, work and shed down there next to the school and a few other Elders we, over the learn?

Building cultural futures 28 Building cultural futures 29 PEOPLE & PLACES

Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art & Culture Studio, Gerringong Artist collective grows beyond TAFE

Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art skill sets - blackfella business. As Practically, this means BNACorp: collectors of artists work Above: Boolarng Nangamai artists & Culture Studio (BNAACS) is an the artists build their business and - Advocates Aboriginal Arts and - Promotes and markets the artists “As the artists build their Culture as a signatory on the Illawarra outside their studio Aboriginal artist collective on the personal capacity, I broker networks - Provides a professional platform for business and personal and opportunities to feed to these Regional Partnership Agreement artist including services like website, capacity, I broker networks South Coast that is both cultural Aboriginal micro businesses.” - Assists with finding and securing ecommerce, e-newsletter, artist and opportunities to feed enterprise and not-for-profit. funding for skill development for the database, freight of artwork, storage to these Aboriginal micro arts and environment Founded in 2005, it grew out of the From her education background, of artwork etc. - Assists artists with acquiring shared businesses.” vision and need of eight Aboriginal Kelli has also assisted the artists equipment and resources that they artists and one non-Aboriginal artist. to match their cultural knowledge Even so, the studio still struggles need as a community The eight core artists met while base with qualifications which she through periods without paid staff. - Assists artists with cultural studying for their Advanced Visual Arts believes has been a crucial element When the orders come in, the studio exchange opportunities that enrich General Information Diploma at West Wollongong TAFE in to BN’s success. “The BN Studio is is abuzz and the numbers swell. In and empower their practices 1995. Visual Arts teacher and fellow like a cultural airport. I assist artists quieter times artists drop in to work Name: Boolarng Nangamai - Assists in finding training artist Kelli Ryan saw the potential to learn to fly with their businesses, on their own projects or catch up on Location: Unit 5/9 Bergin Street opportunities to reduce skills gap in the group both as artists and a build their airplanes and cultural the news and latest developments. amongst Aboriginal community Gerringong, 2534 bonded group that could survive and resilience, work out the altitude, plot - Advocates as Aboriginal role models Phone: 0414 322 142 work together beyond the confines of their business journeys and negotiate BNA Corp gained Register of to guide younger generations of Email: [email protected] coursework. the clouds.” Cultural Organisations (ROCO) and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth. Deductable Gift Recipient (DGR) and Website: www.boolarng- With the team’s commitment, Kelli The splashes of bright colours you see Tax Concession Charity (TCC) status nangamai.com Activities for BNAACS: purchased some land with a small as you approach the industrial site in 2009. Since then, it has worked - Provides exhibition and studio space inheritance and then borrowed to build workshop reveal themselves as art successfully with the Hunt Foundation for artists development Sector Information industrial sheds. The other sections and craft produce: paintings, wood in 2010 to build sustainable micro - Assists with micro business Type of organisation: Registered are leased to other businesses. carving sculptures, pokerwork, cane business projects for BN artists. development: mentoring and brokering The land straddles a part of the Union and woven sculptures made from the under the Corporations employment outcomes Creek and the reeds that grow wild dried and prepared plant life on site, The name Boolarng Nangamai is drawn (Aboriginal and Torres Strait - Designs programs in consultation there have been used by Koories for even beanies and scarves. from the Biripi word for together and with BNACorp Islander) Act 2006. traditional implement making for the Dhawaral word for dreaming, hence - Mediates and negotiates with Governance: The business of the thousands of years. The latest addition is a series of the branding “Boolarng Nangamai - corporation is to be managed cards from artists’ works, produced government agencies, clients such Together Dreaming. Keeping Aboriginal as corporate, educational etc for “Boolarng Nangamai exists to in conjunction with the Red Cockatoo NSW alive & strong.” by or under the direction of the employment outcomes for micro empower Aboriginal NSW, increase artists collective in the Blue directors. business operators, including public employment in the arts and care for Mountains. Other activities such as Funding: Emerging Indigenous the environment, advocate positive cultural awareness training and cross- Entrepreneurs Initiative role models for future generations, cultural workshops in Australia and Department of Education, maintain culture and heritage and add overseas have enhanced Boolarng Nangamai’s reputation. Employment and Workplace to the vibrancy of Aboriginal arts and culture in NSW,” Kelli says. Relations (DEEWR) “Between 2008-10 we worked with Discussion starters: Other revenue streams: From experience in the building about 470 Aboriginal artists in NSW,” Aboriginal cultural awareness Kelli says. industry, Kelli based the studio on 1. Is there someone in your workshops, weaving, painting, a micro business model, similar As BNAACS grew there became a community who would develop drawing, bush foods and tool to a builder and subcontractor need for strengthening community the business skills to be an making, classes, dance/ relationship. “This empowered the artists and made for a unique product hence the birth of Boolarng Nangamai agent? performance, storytelling and and collaboration,” she says. “I am Aboriginal Corporation. The founding Aboriginal art consultancy, artists of BNAACS become the board responsible for all the compliance and 2. Does TAFE in your area support Aboriginal sites consultancy, marketing - whitefella business - and of BNACorp, registered with the Office of the Register of Corporations (ORIC) Aboriginal art and business skills sale of artworks the artists as sub contractors are experts in their chosen medium and in 2007. Left: Inside the studio development?

Building cultural futures 30 Building cultural futures 31 PEOPLE & PLACES

Euraba Paper Company, Boggabilla Art practice looks great on paper

Euraba artists and papermakers beginning. We did a fine arts course Boggabilla is a very small town, how CDEP. Wages came from CDEP, also have taken traditional European at TAFE and we just wanted to do much is the paper factory a community costs and events came from the grant “They don’t want to see it papermaking methods and made something. When we finished he (the hub? program. We are working on applying fold because of the effort them their own. teacher) suggested, ‘How would we RM: It’s very important, we don’t for an Indigenous Employment Program that’s been put into it… like to make paper?’ and we thought want to see it fold and also the Board, grant at the moment. There is also It’s a good thing for the Euraba means “place of healing, it was a big joke and had a big laugh. the original artists and the original another org that wants to assist with community in regards to coming from the healing leaves of the When we first started we used to go founders, they don’t want to see Euraba becoming self sustainable and self esteem, self motivation, Eura tree” in the Goomeroi language. and get the filings from the river and it fold because of the effort that’s that’s called Beyond Empathy based and values and for the An initiative of nine Goomeroi women boil in an old gallon drum. We had been put into it. We are working very in Armidale NSW. The org assists from and Boggabilla in an old tub that we used to make the hard to keep it open and to keep Aboriginal communities in developing local Aboriginal people, it’s North-West NSW, Euraba’s enterprise paper in. We were determined to do it functioning. It’s just a matter of ideas and making a sustainable expressing their identity as involves locally and traditionally something. It’s still going today. Yeah, connecting with the right people. business from those ideas. They’re well.” sourced fibres handmade into we just wanted to do something which It’s a good thing for the community really well recognised Australia- artworks, artist paper sheets and would benefit our community. in regards to self esteem, self wide as well for their successful Above: Joy Duncan with Fish handmade paper products. These RM: My name’s Rex McIntosh. I motivation, and values and for the programs and activities they do in products are designed and produced became involved with Euraba when I local Aboriginal people, it’s expressing different communities all over NSW by artists at the Boggabilla studio. was with the Community Development their identity as well. As we know and QLD. I think we should work on Euraba Artists and Papermakers use Employment Program (CDEP) at art does bring out the best in a lot the administration side of running the 100 per cent cotton off cuts from local Toomelah. Boggabilla was one of the of Aboriginal people especially in the organisation and then work on the clothing industry to produce cotton cells of Toomelah. I was invited to a remote areas of Australia. Its similar artistic side because we do have the rag pulp for their paper. meeting by the Euraba Board, that to organisations in those parts of artists but we don’t have the skilled was about 2004 and that’s when I Australia in what we are trying to do labour to manage the organisation. The papermaking process at the mill became Chairperson of Euraba. and we are trying to do it as uniquely Under the Indigenous Employment uses natural fibres, a continuation as we can for our area of Toomelah Program we can employ local people, of a tradition linking the women to What are the key achievements of the and Boggabilla. train them and they can be paid their ancient culture. Their female Euraba Paper Company? then from the sales of artwork and ancestors wove local fibres into MH: So far to help the young people. What do you think are the main products. baskets as part of their role in That was our main aim, to get the barriers? traditional life as gatherers. Today young people in there and help them, MH: Finance. You know since the What would you like to see happen in women of all ages from the community because they are our future generation CDEP program closed down that the future? work together to turn 100 per cent and they need our support, us being sort of stopped a lot of things from RM: I would like to see the local cotton fibre into paper as a means Elders and mentoring them you know. happening. It was one of the main community manage the organisation to provide and build a future for their RM: Over the years we have won problems. Everyone was happy and and the people making the decisions youth. The fibres from both the river quite a few awards. In 2010 we won working there when that was going. of what they are going to make and General Information and surrounding land give the papers the NSW Parliament Aboriginal Arts It wasn’t much money but everyone how they are going to make it. Just Name: Euraba Paper Company locality, identity and tradition, all of Award that came with a $20,000 prize was happy with what they got. We to be a sustainable business and be Location: 138 Merriwa St, which are reflective and important to (Editors note: $40,000 main award need money to keep it going. We successful, that’s what I’d like to see Boggabilla, 2409 the papermakers. from 2011, due to new sponsorship) would really be downhearted and Euraba become. It’s not only myself, Phone: 07 4676 2975 as well as the recognition. In 2000 hurt if the place was closed down all it’s the Board members and people Founding member Aunty May Hinch it won the Partnership Award in together, because our heart is in that from the community, that’s what Email: N/A and Chairperson Rex McIntosh explain Canberra. It was with TAFE and a place. It really means a lot to us. We they’d like to see as well. We would Discussion starters: Web: www.eurabapaper.com.au that even though Euraba won the couple of other organisations and that have met a lot of different people and like to see more artists; we know that 2010 NSW Parliamentary Art Prize, was the Prime Minister’s award, I been everywhere since we started at there’s more artists. We know that Sector Information their community business struggles to think it was. We don’t get any funding Euraba. there are people in the community 1. Is there a business basis in a Type of organisation: Cooperative stay open: now from the government to support and young people at school that are locally developed product where the organisation, it just supports itself What’s happening with the running of talented artists and we would like you live? under the Cooperative Act Could you tell me a little bit about and from philanthropic donations. the business and funding? to see some of those people come Governance: Board of Directors yourself and your involvement with the They came about from recognition and RM: Well we don’t get any funding and support Euraba and also gain Funding: None Euraba Paper Company? the philanthropists putting their hands from government since the end of employment and be recognised as 2. How would you build Other revenue streams: Art, AH: I’m Aunty May Hinch and I’m one up wanting to assist Euraba in being a the financial year 2008/09. The artists. sustainability and success for product sales and donations of the founding artists from Euraba sustainable Aboriginal run business. funding ceased because everyone was your organisation after winning a and I got involved from the very employed under the program of the major award?

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Tribal Warrior Association, Redfern and Sydney Harbour Fit for culture and maritime training

Though not a keeping place or simple by design. Basically we start maritime licences for their potential well as with mentoring certification training early in the morning, three employment in maritime vocations and employment as mentors with “Our success is measured cultural centre in the strictest by the number of trained sense, Tribal Warrior Association times a week. We invite the youth - To gain government accreditation to our organisation and other external that participate in our fitness program provide approved courses for maritime organisations. personnel with maritime (TWA) provides cultural to come and attend special sporting education certifications, employed by experiences on Sydney Harbour challenges and cultural events - To promote a consciousness for Why do you think Tribal Warrior has General Information our organisation as well as and training and employment like traveling to areas of identified maritime vocations among Aboriginal been so successful? mentoring certification and Name: Tribal Warrior for young Aboriginal people. It sacred sites to assist NSW Parks people Tribal Warrior has been so successful employment as mentors Location: Gadigal House, is the only Indigenous maritime & Wildlife with the preservation of - To facilitate social and cultural because of the team of people that within our organisation 160 - 180 George Street, them. We also provide other training exchange between Aboriginal tribes, work for it with common goals and training company operating within and other external Redfern, 2016 and employment opportunities both especially those of the interior, with ideas about what will make it work. Australia. organisations.” Phone: 02 9699 3491 within and outside of our organisation. those of the east coast We are always looking for new ideas to Our cultural cruises are a highlight of - To promote the awareness of the improve our services and are open to Email: [email protected] It is a non-profit community valuable experiences that everyone value of the continuance of Aboriginal discussion. Communication from the Website: www.tribalwarrior.org organisation initiated and directed can enjoy and that will enrich lives. community life and the family top down is a big part of what makes by Aboriginal people with Aboriginal Other ways we maintain culture is by - To explore and utilise approaches us so successful. Sector Information Elders. The Tribal Warrior Association sitting down and talking to Elders and to achieve social, economic, and Discussion starters: was established by concerned Type of organisation: The learning about ceremony. cultural development in Aboriginal What would you like to see happen in Aboriginal people with a view to communities and individuals the future? 1. How can sport and exercise be Tribal Warrior Association was spread and revitalise Aboriginal culture How does the maritime aspect of - To provide food and other basic living In the future we hope to expand combined with art and culture in incorporated on 31 March 1999 and to provide economic and social Tribal Warrior relate to the other goals essentials for low-income persons, our organisation particularly with under the NSW Associations stability. The Association provides and initiatives of the organisation? particularly among Indigenous but also the mentoring side and explore new your area? Incorporations Act quality training for employment skills, Our vision is one of social and cultural including non-Indigenous Australians business opportunities in general Governance: Management and extends everyday practical exchange between Aboriginal tribes. - To provide drug counselling and be recognised as artists. 2. What vocational training assistance by distributing food and We hope to present a creative and rehabilitation programs might you combine with arts and committee made up of local groceries to struggling families. Below: Tribal Warrior meeting ongoing vision for Aboriginal youth by - To provide recreational and Aboriginal culture? Aboriginal Elders and three other generating self-employment, economic cultural learning programs for both sessions Board members The Management Committee of the stability and cultural affirmation. We Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people Funding: TWA Mentoring is Association includes grassroots aim to - To form a committee to be called funded through Community Aboriginal people from various areas - Promote an awareness of values of Aboriginal People for Constructive and respected Elders. The Tribal Services and the Department of continuance of Aboriginal community Reconciliation to arrange Aboriginal Warrior Association uses the gaff- life and family participation in programs and events Families, Housing, Community rigged ketch Tribal Warrior to train - To represent an Aboriginal in the spirit of reconciliation from the Services and Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal people to attain their perspective in reconciliation programs Aboriginal perspective. (FAHCSIA) Master Class V Commercial Maritime and events. - To seek community support for the Other revenue streams: Certificate and other qualifications - To promote and support the above objectives. TWA Tourism and Hospitality including Radar Certificate, and establishment of a maritime education Marine Engineer Certificate. arm derives its income from: facility with a hands-on learning How is Tribal Warrior governed and program, aboard a suitable maritime funded? Corporate and private charters Chairman and CEO Shane Philips, vessel Tribal Warrior is entirely independently with catering and cultural who has cultural connections to the - Targeting Aboriginal people, self-funded and Aboriginal owned and experience options; scheduled Bunjalung and language especially those of low income and/or operated. daily cultural cruises on Sydney groups, among others, talks about limited formal education the Tribal Warrior Association’s social Harbour; scheduled whale - Non-Indigenous Australians, Torres What are the key achievements of advocacy programs. Strait Islanders and foreign students Tribal Warrior? watching cruises; corporate may also be accommodated in The key achievements of Tribal Warrior sponsorships and private Tell us about the various programs you the program for the furtherance of is our training, employment and donations. TWA is also registered have at Tribal Warrior relating to arts reconciliation and understanding mentoring programs and our success by the ATO as an eligible and culture. between cultures is measured by the numbers of trained Deductible Gift Recipient The Tribal Warrior Association has - The immediate goal will be to equip personnel with maritime certifications, created a holistic program. It is the students with various commercial employed by our organisation as

Building cultural futures 34 Building cultural futures 35 PEOPLE & PLACES

Dhiiyaan Indigenous Unit, Moree Scanning for the future of local Aboriginal history

Above: Dhiiyaan Indigenous Unit in action The Dhiiyaan Indigenous Unit, derogatory) and Aboriginal language Council (MPSC), Arts NSW, Aboriginal There is a recognised need, endorsed established in Moree in 1995, records and research. Affairs NSW, Moree Local Aboriginal by leading organisations such as NSW “There is a recognised is part of the Northern Regional Land Council and the transitional State Records and AIATSIS, for the need, endorsed by leading Library and Information Services Founder and developer of the centre, Board to expand Dhiiyaan into an Dhiiyaan collection to be preserved organisations such as NSW of Council. Noeleen Briggs-Smith, believes that by Indigenous Cultural and Learning Unit through the scanning of the records State Records and AIATSIS, researching family history, Aboriginal in Moree with its own management to a digitised and, if appropriate, At its core is a family history for the Dhiiyaan collection people can create a connection structure. microfilm format. Ideally, the collection to be preserved through the and photographic collection to their people, land and culture, needs to be properly protected encouraging Aboriginal restoring a sense of identity and The Change Manager will assist the from deterioration in an acid-free, scanning of the records to a participation within the library. contributing positively to Aboriginal Dhiiyaan centre in the development temperature controlled environment. digitised and, if appropriate, wellbeing. The healing power of of a mission statement and service Culturally appropriate protocols and microfilm format.” Located in Moree’s Balo Street, it cultural knowledge extends across scope, Memorandum of Understanding safeguards for electronic access will has an Aboriginal history unit and a number of indicators of wellbeing, (MOU’s)and protocols, intellectual be required. a permanent collection with a rich including social connectedness and property policies, collection housing variety of printed material, videos and mental health and has been used and preservation, board, framework Information courtesy of the Dhiiyaan photographs detailing Kamilaroi life directly by the Dhiiyaan Unit to and funding for the centre’s future. Indigenous Unit of the Northern over the years. The Indigenous Unit improve educational attainment and Subject to funding commitments, the Regional Library, Arts North West Inc, services the shires of Brewarrina, equity in employment settings. Change Manager will help develop a Arts NSW and NSW Office of Aboriginal Gwydir, Moree Plains and Walgett. three to five year plan for outreach Affairs. Within these shires are a substantial Dhiiyaan is uniquely located in the services for Dhiiyaan and develop number of Aboriginal settlements Moree War Memorial Auditorium, and coordinate communications and General Information including Boggabilla, Boomi, owned by the Department of marketing strategies for the centre. Name: Dhiiyaan Indigenous Unit Brewarrina, , , Education and adjacent to a senior of the Northern Regional Library Toomelah, Walgett and Moree itself. secondary school. The use and Location: Balo Street, Moree, governance of the auditorium is It has traditional Kamilaroi artifacts covered by a specific Act of NSW 2400. on display, and aims to increase the Parliament. Until recently, Dhiiyaan Below: Part of the Dhiiyaan Centre Phone: 02 6752 1346 understanding of Aboriginal history, shared the space with the Moree collection on display Email: kelly.briggs@ culture and knowledge among the Council Library. The move of the indigenousunit.com.au or Tracey. wider community through a range library and staff into a new building [email protected] of public programs and activities sparked initial community concern including cultural awareness, family about the future of the Dhiiyaan Website: www.indigenousunit. history sessions, Kamilaroi language facility. com.au programs and literacy programs. Discussion starters: An independent consultant’s report Sector Information The collection has grown to much supports a business plan for autonomy Type of organisation: Part of more than just family history and has of the Dhiyaan Centre. Moree Council 1. What would be the benefits of become one of the biggest regionally- has agreed to employ a Change Shire Council local record keeping and photo held Aboriginal culture and history Manager but is also considering co- archive for your local or regional Governance: Employed Change collections in Australia. The collection locating the local RSL collection and community? Would digital Manager to re-assess the current includes an estimated 90,000 - the historical society alongside some direction of the centre and 110,000 genealogies of local families continued form of the Dhiiyaan centre. storage assist this? develop a governance model, including a huge collection of Births, Dhiiyaan remains open through this Deaths and Marriages certificates. It period with limited hours and part MOU and financial plan. 2. Would you contribute your also includes a database of Aboriginal time staff and is still used by the local family’s photos and certificates Funding: Core funding from ex-service people, more than 15,000 community. The recently appointed to a Shire or Municipal Council Moree Plains Shire Council photographs relating to local families, Change Manager will be guided by Other revenue streams: A barter birth registrations dating as far and report to a Steering Committee Library or would you prefer, or system built the Unit’s archives back as 1788, burial and cemetery comprising representatives from only offer to, an Aboriginal owned records, Aboriginal postcards (many Arts North West, Moree Plains Shire and controlled facility?

Building cultural futures 36 Building cultural futures 37 PEOPLE & PLACES

Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre, Deniliquin From family trees to River Red Gum forest

Above: The Yakuwa Indigenous Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge organisations can support our work. What is the Yarkuwa model? centres around here, so getting the Knowledge Centre Centre at Deniliquin operates I think that as the internet and other What really influenced it was in word out to those people is just as “There aren’t many in land justice, community multimedia technology improves, that the beginning, it was a bunch of important, because we want everyone organisations like ours down engagement programs and becomes less onerous but until then, TAFE students who ran a project on to feel involved. here that talk on behalf of providing services for the local it’s really a lot of trouble with people genealogy and cultural connection, traditional owners, so in a who want to engage with us and vice and from that they decided to What are the key achievements of way it is advantageous as Indigenous community. It employs versa. I think that what it also does is establish the organisation to house Yarkuwa? more than a dozen Aboriginal you’re a loud voice in a big provide a powerful voice. There aren’t the material and allow traditional I think that getting Indigenous region.” staff. many organisations like ours down owners to access it. So Yarkuwa employment is the big one, which here that talk on behalf of traditional started out as a locally based showcases the organisation to say Executive Support Officer Steven Ross owners, so in a way it is advantageous traditional owner run organisation, we are one of the larger employers of from Yarkuwa explains how limited as you’re a loud voice in a big region. then with a very big focus on cultural Indigenous people in the area. Then resources and distance do not inhibit activities and stemming from that is Wamba Wamba Cultural Week which its goals. What is special about the location of an arts focus as well. We have just has run every year for the last seven- your building? received funding from the Federal eight years and very successfully, has What is your role at Yarkuwa? We are in a part of town which is Government for an arts program that really built up a profile within the town. My role is an Executive Support right near the island hatchery, which will run next year, and I think that Then being able to lock into other Officer. I write all of the policies for is a fairly good condition River Red really builds on the organisation as projects like the Ute Muster and other the organisation and I engage with all Gum, not quite a forest, but an area we weren’t able to access that money big projects happening in and around State, Local and Federal Government, that is connected to the forest which before. You have to build your capacity Deniliquin are our big achievements. as well as international processes on the local council owns. We’ve been and your experience before you’re able behalf of the organisation. using it as an education and cultural to access money. What are Yarkuwa’s plans for the space. So in Wamba Week the kids future? What are the Yarkuwa Indigenous go on tours down there with a local What changes did the organisation Well, we have this arts funding so we Knowledge Centre’s key activities? traditional owner and learn about have to make to get to that position? really want to make sure that we are The organisation operates in two native medicinal plants and other Well, I think running long-running spending that money appropriately. General Information streams. Firstly there is the support cultural sites within there. That programs on the smell of an oily rag We really want to run good quality service focus which provides free Name: Yarkuwa Indigenous week is really important in terms of is a baptism of fire that organisations arts projects including Wamba Week internet access to Indigenous people Knowledge Centre education and reconciliation. So that like ours really have to go through and we really want to do a women’s in the community. We also do a is literally just behind us, it’s a short and it sorts out your sustainability. If weaving project to highlight their Location: 190 Cressy Street, Parental and Community Engagement walk from the building. you’re able to do that, then you can work. We want to get them to weave Deniliquin, 2710 Program, as well as a carer’s research be sustainable and I think getting a ute! It will be a gift to the town, a Phone: 03 5881 3312 program, so really around that service Does this have an inspirational effect the arts funding really exemplifies contribution to the Ute Muster. provision. The other work which I Email: [email protected] on the work you are trying to do? that. I think building the capacity of am excited about is the cultural Absolutely. Yarkuwa did a project on traditional owners to do those kinds There is the new building. We really heritage and environmental work of the North Deniliquin State Forest of things and to organise very simple want to get that up into a working Sector Information providing genealogical services to which is across the river from the meetings but also big events and gallery and a real cultural space for a Type of organisation: Aboriginal local traditional owners, engaging in island sanctuary and really showed building the ownership while making town as there is not really a keeping Discussion starters: Corporation registered through land management processes including what can happen when you get rid of sure that the processes you have are place or an arts place like that the removal of noxious weeds and ORIC noxious weeds and when you manage owned and run by the community. anywhere in our region. We really want environmental service provisions as 1. What connections can art Governance: Board of seven land properly. There is a 400 year old to showcase that to Deniliquin and well as cultural heritage assessments. traditional owners and a scar tree in there too, so protecting And communication, learning how to the rest of the country. The arts make through keeping places those sites is really, really important. to communicate in different ways, focus and the service provision focus and cultural centres to traditional membership How does a location like Deniliquin The island sanctuary is the next cab because I don’t think that the old is unique, we think. We’ve lobbied sites in your area? Funding: Government funding inform the work that Yarkuwa is off the rank for Yarkuwa, we really ways necessarily work with how the very hard with State and Federal doing? for community service provision need to get in there and help manage community works now. Young people governments and we just had a forest What it does is encourage us to really 2. Should project funding be a Other revenue streams: Cultural that. are becoming much more technology handed back to its local traditional engage with regional bodies and to savvy and our population’s not just owners down here which will hopefully ‘baptism of fire’ to prove your and enviromental services, small try and build proper partnerships and here in Deniliquin. There are traditional become an Indigenous Protected Area. sustainability or are there other grants and fund raising networks, so that other agencies and owners in Melbourne and other big ways?

Building cultural futures 38 Building cultural futures 39 PEOPLE & PLACES

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance Aboriginal Corporation, Mid-North Coast Land Councils unite through arts alliance

Saltwater Freshwater Arts Saltwater Freshwater Program So the alliance needed to be In events, the biggest success for us Alliance (SFAA) is a peak body Manager Alison Page, a formalised to bring about change in has been the Saltwater Freshwater “We really think that this for Aboriginal arts and culture woman from the NSW South Coast the region? Festival. The fact that we’ve had 10- part of Australia can be believes building the Saltwater Yes. The five year plan looked at 12,000 people attending a regional known for being at the on the . It works Freshwater brand will also support incorporation where there would be event which is nomadic is fantastic. forefront of contemporary at a regional, state and national a coordinated regional strategy representatives from each community It’s actually changing the towns that Aboriginal culture. We are level to position Aboriginal art to Aboriginal tourism, so that on a Board. When we looked at it goes to and playing a big role in all about making young and culture as the foundation for experiences are not duplicated. representatives we thought, ‘How bringing about reconciliation. We’re people aware that they can the long term social, economic do we get out to the broadest actually taking on commercial event Above: Alison Williams 3 Black Dogs How was Saltwater Freshwater membership possible?’ and that made management work because we have create a career in culturally and environmental development I, 2009. Acrylic on canvas. formed? us look at the Land Council network. such an amazing festival team we can based enterprises – make of the Mid North Coast Aboriginal Arts Mid North Coast (part of Each Land Council has a really take on commercial events. That’s your own job!” communities. the Regional Arts NSW network) broad membership base, some with part of our sustainability plan, to take received some money from the Dept thousands. It’s really important to on these events for a fee. of Environment, Water Heritage and say that those representatives on the The Alliance is made up of ten Local the Arts in 2007 (now the Office of Board don’t necessarily make all of the The second arm of what we do we call Aboriginal Land Councils including the Arts) to do an Aboriginal Cultural decisions in regards to each project. Cultural Programs. That’s the arts Karuah, Forster, Purfleet , Strategy for the region. Each project as it rolls out still needs and skills development workshops. Bunyah (Wauchope), Biripai (Port a level of consultation that happens, We have developed our publication Macquarie), Kempsey, Thungutti There was a whole suite of projects but it does happen through a filter and Saltwater Freshwater Arts from that General Information (Bellbrook), Unkya (Macksville), that the community wanted to that filter is the Land Councils. which features 39 Aboriginal artists Name: Saltwater Freshwater Arts Bowraville and ; the achieve: from the region. It’s also recording Alliance former Department of Environment - An annual cultural festival Was it an easy process getting the stories, five stories in each of the 10 Location: Innovation Centre, Water Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA); - To look at visual arts programs and Land Councils to become part of the communities. We will have at least and the Indigenous Coordination Coffs Harbour Education Campus, art skills development workshops alliance? 50 stories that will be used in an Centre (ICC), Coffs Harbour. - Cultural camps for young people Well, it actually required money. They iPhone application and a website so Hogbin Dr, Coffs Harbour, 2454 - Recording of traditional and were asked to provide $4000 each and that when you visit the region, you Phone: 02 6658 1315 Cultural facilities to date have contemporary stories we have 10 alliance members now, so can have site specific stories. It might Email: alison@ focused on Kempsey: the Wigay - Looking at a cultural trail they’ve been providing $40,000 for help you interpret public artwork, it saltwaterfreshwater.com.au Aboriginal Culture Park Enterprises the last three years. We are getting may be historical stories about what and Dunghutti- Aboriginal Website: www. On the Mid North Coast, we have to the point now where we might not it was like to grow up there. These Art Gallery. Kempsey also services 12,000 Aboriginal people and 52 per need that into the future, but at the will be very place-specific stories saltwaterfreshwater.com.au the region through arts and related cent are 19 or younger, so a lot of moment it is really great that the Land that are going to also be a platform educational training provided through youth are coming through. Another Councils provide that level of support for tourism products. The festival will Sector Information the Djigay Centre of Excellence reality is only 8 per cent are over for us. We’ve used that as leverage be advertised on there, the Mirabai Type of organisation: Aboriginal at TAFE: North Coast Institute 55. In terms of cultural transfer of to get Federal funding and the Office Language Centre will be featured and Booroongen-Djugun , a Corporation registered through knowledge with so few Elders and so of the Arts has now given us triennial and the Jaaning Tree restaurant with registered training organisation. As many youth coming through, a really funding. Aboriginal chef Clayton Donovan. It ORIC an adjunct to the Booroongen-Djugun coordinated approach needed to be really provides a place for Aboriginal Governance: Alliance of Land Aged Care facility, the College is built taken. The whole question around What have been the key achievements tourism products to be advertised. We Council Board of Directors around respect for Aboriginal culture. community engagement needed to since Saltwater Freshwater was may end up looking at doing cultural Funding: Federal Office of the be solved as there are 11 distinct formed? camps or cultural awareness training, The Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Arts, Indigenous Coordination communities within this region and I think the incorporation is probably so we are certainly developing that Culture Co-operative was established you couldn’t really have a reference the biggest thing, The SFAA has a arm of what we do and seeking Centre, Arts Mid North Coast at Nambucca Heads in 1986. Interest group. It’s too weak to pull off all sustainability plan in place and within philanthropic support and program Other revenue streams: in establishing keeping places and of these projects, we needed a three years we won’t need government grants to pay for that. Donations and sales, event cultural centres have been identified in committee to begin with and a full funding for our core funding, we are management, National Aboriginal Coffs Harbour, Karuah and Taree. incorporated body. looking at becoming a commercial (continued page 42) Design Agency entity.

Building cultural futures 40 Building cultural futures 41 PEOPLE & PLACES

North Sydney Aboriginal Heritage Office, Northbridge Northern Suburbs Councils link to build bridges The third arm of what we are doing based enterprises – make your own Perceptions of Aboriginal people What is the role of Social Planning which is really starting to take shape job! Don’t wait for someone to give north of the within the North Sydney Aboriginal this year is the National Aboriginal you a job, create your own and make are changing because of the Heritage Office? Design Agency. That’s about providing it culturally based. Be an artist, be commitment by eight municipal Social planning has really supported a brokering service for artists to hook a designer, be an event manager, all councils to the North Sydney the heritage office/keeping place/ up with manufacturers to have joint these sorts of things. Aboriginal Heritage Office. cultural centre, this is its 11th year. ventures to develop architectural projects, furniture, homewares, all Seeing such a rapid change in attitude The North Sydney Aboriginal I think overall, the social plan has sorts of things, where the artist and participation of these new Heritage Office (NSAHO)has given the Heritage Office a lifted Above: Enjoying the Saltwater receives a royalty for the sale of the programs must be very rewarding. achieved significant social, profile, and without wanting to sound Above: Aboriginal Walk, Little Digger Freshwater Festival product. The agency would take a When we got those Land Councils to cultural and educational change big-headed, through my work as a Track commission for securing the royalities come together a lot of people said to collaboration between eight social planner, I have opened access and helping to develop product us ‘That’s going to be a nightmare municipal councils, the NSW to get new things up and running. ideas. We are looking at perhaps having 10 Land Councils on a Board’, Heritage Office and the Department representing up to 50 clients within but you know what? We’ve really What are the key achievements of five years. found by engaging with everyone in the of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, the North Sydney Aboriginal Heritage community is that they really believe Office? We are also developing design wholeheartedly in the power of art and it has attracted attention as a model I would say that there are three key courses to really help train a lot of culture. That art and culture is at the from as far away as Darwin and the those artists, so it’s not just about heart of our Aboriginal identity. It’s Kimberleys. achievements. them receiving royalties, but they something that everyone knows a lot The visibility of the Aboriginal could actually move into mainstream about and that they agree upon and Sue Pinckham is a Biripi woman from community across the Northern General Information employment in design, like fashion agree that it is important for our kids’ the Hawke’s Nest area on the Mid Sydney region has happened - they Name: North Sydney Heritage design, landscape design, interior future. It’s just part of your healthy North Coast of NSW and has been are now a visible community. They Office design, graphic design, public art. At future and wellbeing to have a strong talk to each other too and that is a the Social Planner for the Northern Location: 39/137-145 Sailors the moment we have 10 enrolments in sense of self and a strong identity. It’s big, big bonus. the Great Lakes and 10 up in Lismore good for everyone. Suburbs since 2007. Bay Rd, Northbridge, 2063 that have completed a Certificate IV in Phone: 02 9949 9882 Can you tell us about how the I think another achievement is Aboriginal Design and they are loving It’s grounded in such a meaningful that there is now free counseling Email: info@aboriginalheritage. it! There is a fabulous exchange going philosophy that has come together coordination of councils came available to the ATSI community org on between generations where stories with strong branding because when about? are being taught to younger kids and you think of branding you often think of It started out as one council through Relationships Australia, Website: www.aboriginalheritage. the younger generation has the tech a high-flying corporation, but branding wanting to ensure they weren’t which set up an Aboriginal org savviness you need to pull off the is at the heart of Aboriginal culture. desecrating Aboriginal sites when counseling service. It’s called designing. It’s the story of a place and of a development was happening. They Airunga Gibelee, which are Guringai Sector Information people, so the Saltwater Freshwater employed a man called Dave Watts and words that means “a Type of organisation: Local For us, we have a really clear plan story of this place and these people is quiet place to sit and talk”. Through who had previously worked in site Government alliance that is all centered on the Saltwater what is at the heart of the culture for the social plan the NSAHO’s profile Freshwater branding. Everything this area. conservation and management Governance: Reports to Local for National Parks & Wildlife (now has been lifted both across the State Discussion Starters: comes from the fact that we are but also on a national level. Government putting ourselves on the map to NSW Parks & Wildlife).He is still Funding: Local Government compete with really high profile the Manager of the NS Aboriginal Why do you think this model has triennial member contributions, 1. Could the Land Councils or Aboriginal areas like the Northern Heritage Office 11 years later and Aboriginal organisations in your Territory and the Western Desert art through his vision, those councils been so successful? Department of Sustainability, area work together as an arts movement. We really think that this are in partnership to run the NS The eight councils that participate Environment, Water, Population actually send every DA that comes and cultural alliance? part of Australia can be known for Aboriginal Heritage Office. and Communities being at the forefront of contemporary into the NSAHO and they check if Other revenue streams: Fee for Aboriginal culture. We really are all there are sites of cultural service for cultural training and 2. What unique branding identity about making young people aware that other activities could be applied in your region? they can create a career in culturally (continued page 44)

Building cultural futures 42 Building cultural futures 43 PEOPLE & PLACES

significance on or near that property. started, then to a works depot and With adults, they run them through The fact that people have realized If the NSAHO says ‘yes, there now there is a pretty flash office and a quiz and part of that is to make that there is an Aboriginal “The visibility of the is’, council will not approve that keeping place in Northbridge. them understand how much they community that lives over here is Aboriginal community development. I think that is one of don’t know! One of the questions a huge tick in raising awareness across the the biggest successes and it has Have others looked towards North is to ‘name as many American of cultural diversity but also of the region has happened - stopped the destruction of sites. The Sydney as an example for how they Indian tribes as you can think of’ existence of Aboriginal people and they are now a visible fact that they run a lot of education could successfully collaborate with and people can list dozens. Then that we aren’t all a typical ‘Northern- community. They talk to sessions on cultural management councils in their region? it goes through, ‘name as many Terrian’ Aboriginal person. That’s each other too and that is a and heritage to town planners and Armidale Dumaresq Council engaged African tribes as you know’ and of one of the biggest things that I have big, big bonus.” cultural awareness training for the HO to come and teach them course the next step is, ‘name as noticed – a lot of the community children and adults, is a huge bonus how to do a similar model in their many Aboriginal tribes as you know’. here has fair eyes and fair skin, but Above: NSAHO staff training as well. region. It hasn’t progressed at the Sometimes, they struggle to come they are definitely Aboriginal and moment, but they are still talking up with even two! they identify strongly and are still Is good communication a key part of about it. In the Kimberleys and part of their tribal groups. the success? also in Darwin, they are talking They also do site tours, and at the Yes, it’s about communication, but it about doing similar things based Heritage Office see replicas and On a personal note, the communities is also about commitment. on the North Sydney Aboriginal traditional fishing methods and in the Northern Territory that I I think that from the Heritage Heritage Office in Northbridge. replicas of middens that have been have quite a bit of interaction with, Office’s perspective, they are really Those places have also sent their cross sectioned so you can see actually acknowledging publicly that committed to ensuring that no sites site officers here to be trained. They inside them. the community in Sydney overall are destroyed or desecrated and are really conscientiously looking exists. The mob up there call us that there is somewhere that both at it, because to send 20 people It must be very rewarding to see ‘yellow skins’, so I’ve been lucky to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people from Darwin to Sydney is a big the change in attitude and the work with them in different areas can learn about Aboriginal culture investment. So it is being looked at educational benefits. Can you talk and they’ve acknowledged us in and history. From the council’s as a model to be used nationally. about your experience with that? front of one of their ministers, which perspective, it has given them has been great. a break so when a development Tell me about the Cultural Awareness Below: NSAHO office application (DA) comes in, there is Training program offered through the a process that has to be followed. Heritage Office. Sydney was the first place settled It varies depending on and the destruction that happened group involved, For children, they to our sites, and there are thousands take artifacts, tools, weapons of them over this region, that the and pictures of people weaving, councils want to protect. Again, it’s fresh bush medicine, fresh spices commitment from local government picked in North Sydney and they and commitment to the NSAHO from run through what it’s like to be an the local government. They sign tri- Aboriginal person in today’s society, Discussion starters: annual funding agreements and they particularly in Sydney. The kids employ archeologists, geologists are asked to name an Aboriginal 1. Do you have a Local and they have Aboriginal Education person they might know of. Over Government Aboriginal Liaison Officers. It’s a good service and it is here, we are pretty lucky because actually the only one in the country. there has been a lot achieved by the Officer? It has been really successful for Reconciliation Network and they’ve 11 years, it grew from one worker done a lot of work in the schools. 2. Could resource sharing across sitting in a corridor when he first several councils work in your region?

Building cultural futures 44 Building cultural futures 45 PEOPLE & PLACES

Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, Booragul Cloaked in cultural revival

The revival of traditional Possum skins have been used by Aboriginal cloak making has Aboriginal people across Eastern “The workshops were spread across the border from Australia for thousands of years to multi-generational with into NSW with a little make cloaks, waistbands, belts, arm an emphasis on family, help from possum skins imported and headbands. Cloaks were primarily school groups and local used for protection from winter knowledge.” from . conditions but also as a shelter from Victorian based Aboriginal artists Lee heat and wet weather, to carry babies, Darroch and Vicki Couzens along with for trade and as peace and marriage curator Amanda Reynolds approached offerings. the Lake Macquarie Gallery to conduct workshops, as part of a Pacific The designs and ochre decorations Festival Cloak project. recorded clan moiety and the owner’s journey through initiation and status. Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery’s Cloaks were also made from the skins Aboriginal Reference Group, in of , wallabies and other fur General Information collaboration with the Lake Macquarie bearing animals. Name: Lake Macquarie City Art City Art Gallery and Lake Macquarie The Wrapped in a Possum Skin Cloak Gallery City Library hosted a series of workshops with their local Hunter by the Lake exhibition has since Location: First Street, Booragul, travelled, including to the Australian 2284 Aboriginal community and schools to revive Aboriginal cultural practice. Museum and includes: Phone: 02 4695 8660 They have worked together to create - The possum skin cloak Email: Cultural Officer, Debbie their own possum skin cloak. - Nine framed pelts created by school students Abraham dabraham@lakemac. “More than 40 participants learnt - 55 drawings showing the cloak’s nsw.gov.au design process Website: www.lakemac.com.au techniques of designing, painting with ochres and using a burning - The tools used to make and decorate tool to decorate each pelt to reflect the cloak Sector Information country and identity through water - A documentary about the cloak revival project process Type of organisation: Lake stories,” Gallery Director Debbie Abraham says. “The workshops were Macquarie City Art Gallery within An education resource kit has Library Leisure and Cultural multi-generational with an emphasis on family, school groups and local been produced and two travelling Services knowledge.” ‘suitcases’ to be used by schools, Governance: Lake Macquarie City community groups and libraries. The Lake Macquarie City Library Council – Local Government The Aboriginal Reference Group with direction from artist Doug is establishing its own reference Funding: Local Government group to improve access to library augmented by triennial funding Archibald and project coordinator Discussion starters: Donna Fernando, plus educators collections and programs. The from Arts NSW Teagan Goolmeer and Cherie Johnson, reference group will promote Other revenue streams: Shop, managed the community and school Aboriginal literature and language and 1. Would you partner a public art workshops. develop online resources for residents gallery in your region in a cultural arts workshops, venue hire, and non-residents. events revival project? Other grants sources include “The success of the project was due to the knowledge and enthusiasm of Information from Wrapped in a Possum Australia Council (community this dedicated group of people who Skin Cloak by the Lake education 2. Do your art practices adapt partnerships esp for Aboriginal have now worked together over the resource kit, available from Lake Left: Doug Archibald in the possum skin cloak traditional techniques and projects), Visions of Australia past 10 years to promote, support Macquarie City Art Gallery and the Australian Museum. materials? What other examples Arts NSW ConnectEd and celebrate art and culture in the are there? region,” Debbie says.

Building cultural futures 46 Building cultural futures 47 PEOPLE & PLACES

Kamilaroi Keeping Place proposal at Moree Plains Gallery, Moree From kitchen cupboards to keeping place

Highly significant and ancient boxes. The hundreds of carved stones They intend producing booklets, oral The gallery is still struggling to Kamilaroi artefacts, weapons, and stone artefacts, which continue to histories and videos as information secure Federal and State funding “The Moree Plains Gallery tools and carved stones continue be brought to the gallery by members and support material for the exhibits for the keeping place however, local has received a Cultural to be found. Many of these are of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal and holdings in the keeping place and fundraising continues. In 2011 some Heritage grant of $8000 brought to the Moree Plains communities, are kept under lock-and- gallery collections. TAFE students and $150,000 had been secured for the from the National Library of key in every possible gallery storage their families will have input on the building. Gallery (MPG) for safe keeping. Australia for the architect’s space, including kitchen cupboards. education kits. schematic design and Only a small number of these objects For many of the recently added stones Importantly the Kamilaroi people community meetings to gain collected can be properly housed and we consult with Sydney’s Australian The keeping place in the Gallery themselves are actively involved in support for the project.” Above: Carved tree by Lawrence displayed in the gallery. There are Museum curators on the origin and gardens (at the eastern end) will be the keeping place project and the Leslie, artist-in-residence some objects also, such as sacred authenticity of objects. 15 square metres, of lightweight but realisation of the rotunda will be a carved trees, which must not be seen sturdy construction and has been result of their efforts. The project by women but must be preserved and Even though the gallery’s recent designed by Tamworth architect Nick is a shared responsibility that is Discussion starters: kept safely to retain the Kamilaroi capital works have provided additional Brown. The structure will be similar to aligned to the Gallery’s charter of people’s cultural heritage. storage space, much of the Aboriginal Victorian bandstand rotundas and be uniting all peoples through art and collection is not easily accessible partly exposed to the open air allowing culture. Flowing from the project 1. Would your community work The Moree Plains Gallery’s plan is to or preserved to its best advantage. a conceptual tie of the keeping place comes Aboriginal pride and European with a public gallery to establish The keeping place will redress these artefacts with the ground, trees and understanding. design and build a keeping place (in a keeping place? the form of a rotunda) in the grounds problems. sky. of the Moree Plains Gallery. The By Katrina Rumley rotunda would contain steel, timber A crucial side of the gallery’s We are now researching other keeping Moree Plains Gallery Director 2. Would a similar design and glass safe-boxes for display and function and programming is the places across Australia to ascertain with restricted access to storage of some 200 artefacts for at workshops used by TAFE, especially the most appropriate storage and some artefacts work for your least a 200-year period. local Aboriginal students. TAFE runs display techniques for Aboriginal classes in the workshops four days artefacts. Such work will be increased community? Materials for the rotunda will be each week and freelance art teachers by the yet-to-be appointed co-ordinator donated by local manufacturing and General Information in Moree rent the workshops on other of the keeping place project. service companies. Construction and days and for some evening classes. Name: Moree Plains Gallery fit-out will be by the Moree branch of Around the internal circumference Location: 25 Frome Street, the New England Institute of TAFE. Aboriginal TAFE students have the of the rotunda will be waist-height Moree, 2400 opportunity of selling their work steel storage boxes, some with glass Phone: 02 6757 3320 The Moree Plains Gallery has received to tourists who visit the gallery. tops for viewing objects. At floor level a Cultural Heritage grant of $8000 Email: moreeplainsgallery@ The gallery recently opened a and below, the rotunda will house from the National Library of Australia small retail shop on the ground the carved tree collection in special bigpond.com for the architect’s schematic design floor, predominantly for the sale of storage boxes. Although the trees are Website: www. and community meetings to gain Aboriginal art. Commission on sales not intended for general viewing, they moreeplainsgallery.org.au support for the project. contributes to the gallery and its will need to be available for special proposed keeping place. ceremonies of the Kamilaroi people. There have been consultations to Sector Information Students at the Moree campus of date with the Kamilaroi Elders on Coinciding with the keeping place TAFE will have the opportunity of being Type of organisation: Company the project who keenly support the project will be the preparation and involved with this unique project to Limited by Guarantee keeping place proposal. Further production of education kits on preserve Kamilaroi culture. Governance: Board of the Moree consultations are ongoing with Kamilaroi art, culture and legacy. The Moree’s Aboriginal Consultative Project Officer for these kits is Kylie Cultural Art Foundation Committee, mainly comprised of Funding: Council, government McNamara, a young Kamilaroi woman distinguished and respected Kamilaroi who has worked as assistant at the grants and fund-raising women, to gain support. gallery for the past five years. She will Other revenue streams: Sales of collaborate with Lizzie von Gavel who The sacred trees (not to be publicly is the key TAFE teacher to Aboriginal Right: Stones, presented by Jim artwork displayed) are in custom-made wooden students at the gallery workshops. Boland

Building cultural futures 48 Building cultural futures 49 BEYOND THE CASE STUDIES

Beyond the case studies

The following organisations and locations have also been identified as engaging in arts In addition, the following Local Aboriginal Land Councils have been identified as either and cultural expression in NSW, though some may not be active at present: engaging in some form of artistic and cultural expression leading to establishment of premises or the desire to establish premises: Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout Springwood Aliera Heritage Arts and Culture Aboriginal Corp Wauchope Environmental Education Centre Dudley, Newcastle LALC Batemans Bay Boolah Dillah Art, Culture and Knowledge Centre Buladelah Bathurst LALC Bathurst Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation Bega LALC Bega Deep Water Gallery Tinonee Bodalla LALC Bodalla Dhinawan Dreaming Cultural Co-operative Brunswick Heads Bunyah LALC Bunyah Gadigal Information Service Redfern Coffs Harbour LALC Coffs Harbour Ghinni Ghinni Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Taree LALC Coonabarabran Gunnawannabe Gallery, Café and Learning Centre Lismore South Cummeragunja LALC Cummeragunja Guriwal Aboriginal Corp LALC Watanobbi Harry Nanya Tours Wentworth LALC Dorrigo Plateau Illaroo Farm Cambewarra West Gandagara LALC Liverpool Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre Wollongong Gilgandar LALC Gilgandra Jaaning Tree Restaurant Nambucca Heads Glen Innes LALC Glen Innes Jamanee Gunya (The Budawang Aboriginal Group) Milton Grafton-Ngerrie LALC South Grafton Kalico Catering Richmond Gugin Gudduba LALC Kari Yalla Aboriginal Artists Co-operative Eden Guyra LALC Guyra Koori Communications and Training La Perouse Jali LALC Jali Mindaribba LALC Museum East Maitland Karuah LALC Karuah Minjungbal Trading Company Pty Ltd Mogo LALC Mogo (Museum and Cultural Centre) Tweed Head South Moree LALC Moree Mehi Murri Art Studio at Moree Plains Gallery Moree Murrin Bridge LALC Murrin Bridge Murrook Cultural Centre and Djapa Bush Tucker Cafe Williamtown, Newcastle LALC Narrabri Muru Mittigar Castlereagh LALC Narromine Mutawintji Eco Tours Broken Hill Ngulingah LALC Lismore Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Coop Nambucca Heads Nungaroo LALC Ngurrala Aboriginal Corporation Yass Onerwal LALC Yass Aboriginal Corporation Wellington Orange LALC Orange Purple Goana Redfern Red Chief LALC Red Cockatoo Blue Mountains Tamworth LALC Tamworth Red Earth Gallery (formerly Indiginart) Tharawal LALC Picton The Rocks Dreaming The Rocks Ulladulla LALC Ulladulla Thulli Dreaming Mt Druitt Unkya LALC Macksville Tirkandi Inaburra Culture & Development Centre LALC Wagga Wagga Tobwabba Art Foster Walhalla LALC Walhallow via Caroona Tour of the Djeebahn Cronulla Wanaruah LALC Musswellbrook Warrumbungle National Park Visitor Centre Dubbo West LALC Wigay Aboriginal Culture Park Kempsey LALC Williamtown 's Aboriginal Community Centre Wingecarribee Tibooburra LALC Tibooburra Guthawah Aboriginal Community Cultural Centre Wingecarribee Wiradjuri Wonders Tours Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council Wreck Bay Yarnteen Newcastle West Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation Corindi Beach Gunya Tourism Ltd Sydney

Building cultural futures 50 Building cultural futures 51 RESOURCES

Cultural Institutions in NSW

Of the $300 million provided by the recently, the Museum, in collaboration State Library of NSW libraries) and 22 mobile libraries, NSW Government to support the arts with the Wonnarua Aboriginal provides library and information “The cultural institutions are in NSW in 2010/11, $240 million Corporation, completed an online As well as an historic and renowned services to local communities across the leaders of arts and culture is spread among the state cultural photo gallery featuring The Morrison collection of books, manuscripts, metropolitan and rural NSW. in NSW, in terms of participation institutions: Australian Museum, Art Collection. The gallery can be viewed artworks and photographs, the (4.6 million people visited in Gallery of NSW, Powerhouse Museum, at www.australianmuseum.net.au/ library’s website has online exhibitions In 2009/10 the State Library assisted 2009/10), equity of access and State Library Indigenous-Objects-from-the-Hunter- including works of early Aboriginal local government to promote, provide (loans, travelling exhibitions, of NSW Valley artists Mickey of Ulladulla and Tommy and maintain public libraries through digital content), promoting McCrae, vocabularies, Aboriginal providing $25.528m in grants and artistic excellence (collections, The member for the Upper Hunter, At its College Street site, more than subsidies. The library also provided portraits and the Abo Call newspaper. exhibitions, performances, , is the Minister for 300,000 visitors pass through the There is also an online guide to consultancy services, assisting with Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Australian Museum’s permanent researching family history with lists strategic planning, library building loans, awards and prizes) and Racing and Minister for the Arts. Indigenous Australians exhibition of specific reference books and other advice and professional development; sector development (fellowships each year. The exhibition also acts sources. visiting 127 libraries across rural and grants, mentoring and The Aboriginal and regional context of as a space for temporary displays of and metropolitan NSW, 30 per cent internships, programming and four of the institutions within the Arts Indigenous artworks. The State Library most recent of which had not been visited in the engagement).” NSW portfolio, are included here. exhibition was Carved Trees: previous three years. Arts NSW website The Australian Museum has an Aboriginal Cultures of Western NSW. experienced Indigenous education The exhibition contains images of Legal Information Access Centre Australian Museum team. Programs offered explore carved trees collected by Clifton In May 2010 the State Library spirituality, cultural heritage, family, Cappie Towle before his death in 1946. celebrated 20 years of services The Australian Museum holds about land, social justice and the future. and external funding for the Legal 40,000 ethnographic objects and These programs are delivered in a The State Library of NSW has Information Access Centre (LIAC). one million archaeological artefacts variety of ways including hands-on employed two Aboriginal Librarians, LIAC provides access to legal representing the cultures of Aboriginal activity based teaching. Ronald Briggs (Gamilaroi) and Melissa information for the community across and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Jackson (Bundjalung) since 1991. NSW and is jointly funded by the The collections come from areas Since November 2010, the Indigenous Library and the Public Purpose Fund. General Information throughout Australia, but research on, education team has presented “It’s our job to connect Aboriginal Since 1990, LIAC has grown from a Name: State Library of NSW and acquisition of material from NSW Indigenous Australian programs people with information and resources single service in the State Library to a Location: Macquarie Street, is a major focus. through video conferencing to over statewide service including: General Information from the Library’s collections that Sydney, 2000 65 NSW schools, including rural are about them,” Ronald Briggs says. • a specialist legal information centre Name: Australian Museum Phone: 02 9273 1414 The Museum is a recognised leader and remote communities. A further “Our Carved Trees exhibition gave us based in the State Reference Library Email: [email protected] Location: 6 College Street, in cultural heritage issues, initiating 85 NSW Schools interacted with the opportunity to get out and engage • Find Legal Answers service in NSW Website: www.sl.nsw.gov.au Sydney, 2000 a program of visits from Indigenous Australian Museum content and with communities in a different way. public libraries Phone: 02 9320 6000 cultural leaders and active repatriation artefacts through the Indigenous It’s been seen as an important way to • Find Legal Answers website Sector Information Email: www.australianmuseum. programs with Indigenous Australia. Australian Museum in a Box, in the educate the broader community about www.legalanswers.sl.nsw.gov.au Type of organisation: Public net.au/Contact/General The Australian Museum has returned past 12 months. Aboriginal cultures in NSW.” • Hot Topics: Legal issues in plain owned institution Website: www.australianmuseum. 52 sets of human remains to language series published in print and Governance: Library Council of net.au Aboriginal communities. “We sought input and advice from online NSW, nominated by the Minister the relevant land councils and put During 2009/10, LIAC’s State Library for the Arts and appointed by Sector Information Providing access to the collections the word out about the exhibition service answered 12,738 inquiries State Government for three is a Museum priority which is from across NSW. Type of organisation: Public as widely as we could, long before years, may be reappointed. achieved through exhibitions, loan the official launch. We’re indebted owned institution Library Council objectives are programs, visits by community especially to , Condobolin and defined in section 4A of the Governance: Board of Trustees members and increasingly, online via Collerenebri LALCs for their support Library Act 1939. appointed by State Government the Australian Museum website. For and interest in sharing their cultural Funding: $82.9m in grants and Funding: $26.9m core funding example, Indigenous Australians: A heritage.” contributions in 2009/10 from Arts NSW in 2009/10 Portrait Gallery is an online resource Other revenue streams: $1.6m in Other revenue streams: $8m from presenting short biographical sketches NSW Public Library Network 2009/10 sales of goods and services in of whose lives, The NSW Public Library Network, Volunteers: Contributed 12,400 2009/10 in various ways, are reflected in the which comprises 374 libraries (99 hours in 2009/10 Australian Museum collections. Most central libraries plus 275 branch

Building cultural futures 52 Building cultural futures 53 RESOURCES

General Information Name: Art Gallery of NSW Location: Art Gallery Road, The Art Gallery of NSW professional development needs. sessions such as artist led artmaking Powerhouse Museum Domain, Sydney, 2000 Each participant is then supported workshops, visits to specialised areas Phone: 02 9225 1700 Representing artists from communities to develop and deliver a community- of the Gallery such as Conservation The Powerhouse Museum’s collection Email: [email protected] across Australia, the Art Gallery based project in their region. The and the Prints and Drawings spans history, science, technology, Website: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au of NSW’s collection of Aboriginal program is designed to help increase Study Room, observed exhibition design, industry, decorative and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) art the number of NSW Indigenous installation and met artists, curators, arts, music, transport and space Sector Information celebrates Indigenous Australia’s Australians in visual arts professional conservators and other staff. Offsite exploration. It is home to the material Type of organisation: Public owned enduring cultural heritage and its roles, to develop the next generation experiences included visits to artist heritage and stories of Australian institution myriad contemporary expressions. of Indigenous arts field leaders, studios, other museums, galleries and culture, history and lifestyle. There is Governance: Trust, nominated by The earliest work in the collection, by with networking and community cultural sites. estimated to be more than 500,000 the Minister and constituted under Tommy McRae, dates back to the late development central to the program. separate items in the Museum’s Part 2 (sections 5–10) of the Art 19th century. Aboriginal Artist in Residence collection. Research Program Gallery of Act Djamu - Program for Indigenous Art Education In 2010 the inaugural Aboriginal 1980. Section 6 stipulates that:‘the The Yiribana Gallery features a The museum conceives exhibitions These programs were developed in Artist in Residence Research Program Trust shall consist of 11 trustees changing exhibition of works from and programs around the primary the gallery’s collection of ATSI art. consultation with the Sydney Region was successfully run during July. theme of ‘human ingenuity’, ideas and who shall be appointed by the NSW Yiribana means ‘this way’ in the Aboriginal Education Unit, local Artists Alfred Lalara and Alice Durilla technologies that have changed the General Information Governor on the recommendation of language of the Eora people and schools and educators, artists and from Groote Eylandt, as well as world, and the stories of the people Name: Powerhouse Museum the Minister for the Arts and at least acknowledges the location of the Elders in the community to develop Elder Jabani Lalara and Art Centre who create and inspire them. two of whom shall be knowledgeable Location: 500 , Ultimo, gallery on land. The ATSI and deliver the programs. Co-ordinator, Vianetta Chapman Sydney, 2000 and experienced in the visual arts’. participated in the Residency Program, art collection, exhibition, public and The Museum of Applied Arts and Phone: 02 9217 0111 Trustees are appointed for a term Djamu: Junior run in partnership with ArtSpace in education programs also embrace Sciences as it was once known, Email: www.powerhousemuseum. not exceeding three years and may the local and wider NSW cultural Eighteen Indigenous students . During the residency, incorporates Powerhouse Museum, com/contact/general_enquiry.php be re-appointed following the expiry context. Works by NSW Aboriginal in years 5 and 6 from schools in artists researched and engaged with , Powerhouse of the appointed term. Trustees do artists are a key area of acquisitions the Sydney LGA attended an art the Gallery’s collection and that of Discovery Centre at Castle Hill and the Website: www.powerhousemuseum. not receive any remuneration for and are continually featured. ATSI education program, one day per other relevant Sydney institutions, NSW Migration Heritage Centre. com their board activities exhibitions are supported by a range week for three weeks. The program met curators and artists and were The Powerhouse’s regional programs Funding: $21.9m from NSW of catalogues, collection notes and included meeting a key Indigenous introduced to the local Sydney art and services assist individuals and Sector Information Government in 2009/10. The NSW education kits. Exhibitions include La artist represented in the Gallery’s industry. They received tailored organisations working with cultural Type of organisation: Public owned government’s recurrent Per: an Aboriginal sea side story in collection and participating in an professional development training heritage of NSW, including Indigenous institution contribution comprised 36 per cent 2010, Half light: portraits from black artmaking workshop led by the artist. and had the opportunity to develop movable heritage and cultural beliefs Governance: Board of Trustees, of operating revenues in 2009–10. Australia in 2009 and Boomalli: 20 The program was very successful, networks. The artists also participated and practices. under the Museum of Applied Arts in a range of programs, including Plus another $15.5m of capital years on in 2007 with anecdotal evidence that there and Sciences Act 1945 (MAAS was a corresponding improvement in floor talks, children’s workshops, funding in 2009/10 The Powerhouse Museum supports Act). Aspects of the Museum’s Two members of NSW communities attendance, behaviour and attitude demonstrations, lectures and school regional communities through Other revenue streams: $22.8m management and governance are from exhibitions, visitor services and are employed on a permanent full-time to school observed in participating talks. internships and training for volunteer students. also covered under the Museum benefaction (includes other grants basis and a number of artists and and paid staff working with cultural This program aims to benefit of Applied Arts and Sciences and miscellaneous contributions) arts workers, artists and community heritage projects. The Museum also representatives are regularly employed Djamu: Senior community based artists, who will assists communities with professional Regulation 2007. Under the in 2009/10. Corporate Sponsors to deliver a range of education Six year 10-12 Indigenous senior share their experience and knowledge, advice on cultural facilities provisions of the Act, the nine include ANZ, Delta Electricity, and public programs. Furthermore, Visual Arts students participated in further strengthening the Gallery’s development (specifically exhibition Trustees of the Museum are Ernst & Young, ING, J.P. Morgan, the gallery is committed to the the Djamu: Senior program over six relationships with the community for spaces and collection storage), appointed by the Governor, on the Macquarie, , UBS, Clayton professional development of the arts days in Nov 2010 and Feb 2011. This future engagements. collection management (including recommendation of the Minister, for UTZ , Freehills, HSBS, Hulsborch, sector and has successfully delivered program was designed to introduce conservation, registration, curatorial), a term of up to three years, and may Hyperion Asset Management, Kamilaroi artist Elaine Russell from a number of Indigenous programs for students to the range of vocational exhibition development, digital story serve for a maximum of three full Optimal Fund Management, Porter’s pathways in the arts, an area in which Sydney and Tasmanian artist Vicki emerging curators, school groups telling, web and new media projects. terms. Original Paints, Sofitel Sydney and educators. An education kit Indigenous people are currently under West are currently participating in Funding: Recurrent funding of Wentworth, Avant Card, JCDecaux, exclusively focusing on the work of represented in a professional capacity, 2011 Aboriginal Artist in Residence The museum has a Curator of Koori The Sydney Morning Herald, City of NSW Aboriginal artists is currently in as well as provide professional Research Program. History and Culture but historically its $28.31m; Capital funding of Sydney and Airways development. development opportunities for the Indigenous collection has been drawn $3.87m in 2009/10 Volunteers: At the end of June Gallery’s Indigenous education staff. Information courtesy of Jonathan from across Australia. Other revenue streams: sales of 2010, there were 96 volunteer In 2011 four young emerging Students became familiar with the Jones, Co-ordinator Aboriginal goods and services $4.76m; other guides available to take tours of the Indigenous arts workers from Gallery’s collections, spaces and Programs, Art Gallery of New South grants and donations $2.733m in gallery’s collection and temporary NSW were awarded the inaugural history and with staff of the ATSI Wales and the Art Gallery of NSW 2009-10 exhibitions. A total of 4585 tours Community Arts Mentorship Program Art Department. They developed Annual report 2009/10. Volunteers: 297 volunteers were conducted by the guides in consisting of a two-week fully funded knowledge of Indigenous art practices contributed 32,105 hours in 2009/10. residency program at the Gallery, and of a range of other art movements. 2009/10 specifically tailored to address They participated in educational

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NSW Government Departments

NSW Department of Trade is a whole-of-government approach to • Capital funding to Muru Mittagar Office of Aboriginal Affairs NSW and Investment, Regional improving support for the Aboriginal Ltd for a museum and traditional Infrastructure and Services arts and culture. It provides a knowledge centre Aboriginal Affairs NSW, part of the framework for State Government • Support for a Community NSW Communities and Education The Department delivers tailored agencies to foster a vibrant Aboriginal Engagement Officer’s position Department, administers the support to Aboriginal businesses arts and cultural sector. within the Saltwater Freshwater Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, in NSW to ensure their long-term Alliance, working with Aboriginal providing accurate, timely and sustainability and to assist them Investing in career pathways for the communities on the Mid comprehensive input into government move beyond challenging times in the Aboriginal arts and cultural sector North Coast to deliver cultural policy development. business cycle. provides sustainable improvements workshops, arts projects and to the lives of Aboriginal people, as the annual Saltwater Freshwater Its vision is to see Aboriginal people The Department offers a variety is developing leadership capacity for Festival exercise and pursue their right and of assistance under the Aboriginal Aboriginal people across all levels • Support for mentorships, arts capacity to determine their political, Business Development Program of the arts and cultural sectors. laboratories and incubators such economic, social and cultural which is delivered through a network Increasing the potential for inspiring as creative development and development as the first people of of experienced Aboriginal Business and effective leaders within the production of six Indigenous NSW. Development Staff. The Program offers Aboriginal arts and cultural sector emerging artists to create a new services to promote and support the will make a positive difference to the work at PACT Centre for Emerging The role of Aboriginal Affairs is development and growth of Aboriginal lives of Aboriginal Australians, their Artists to the wellbeing of the businesses in NSW. Assistance is communities and the wider arts and • Support to Goulburn Regional Aboriginal people of NSW by: available for the following: cultural sector in Australia Art Gallery to engage high-profile NSW Aboriginal artists to conduct • Promoting social justice and the • Access to professional business The AAC Strategy will achieve these one-day art and culture workshops United Nations Declaration of the guidance within the Department aims through four directions: with Aboriginal inmates of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples • Access to specialised business Goulburn Correctional Centre, • Cultivating strong partnerships advice from external business Artists: Increasing participation of culminating in an exhibition at with Aboriginal communities, consultants Aboriginal people in arts and cultural Goulburn Regional Art Gallery organisations and advocates • Financial assistance to support activity. • Support to Arts Out West for • Creating greater Aboriginal Aboriginal businesses develop Visibility: Recognition and appreciation the creation and presentation economic participation and wealth growth plans, get over a business of NSW Aboriginal arts and cultural of the Central West Aboriginal generation hurdle and participate in industry practice. Arts event, showcasing the work • Driving Aboriginal involvement in trade shows Community: Working with agencies of Aboriginal artists, dancers policy development and service across government and communities and filmmakers from across the delivery www.aboriginalbiz.nsw.gov.au to contribute to Closing the Gap for Central West region. • Monitoring and evaluating Aboriginal people. • Bangarra Dance Theatre receives government policies and programs Arts NSW Jobs: Increasing jobs and enterprises funding from Arts NSW’s Major to ensure they are meeting the with the creative industries. Performing Arts Fund. needs and aspirations of Aboriginal Arts NSW recognises that investing in Western Sydney is one of the largest people in Closing the Gap on the Aboriginal arts and cultural sectors Arts NSW’s 2011 Arts Funding population centres of Aboriginal Aboriginal disadvantage in NSW triggers growth in socio-economic Program has allocated $1.2m plus people in Australia. Strategic funding • Promoting positive images of terms. NSW has a long history of for more than 30 Aboriginal arts in Western Sydney complements the Aboriginal people and communities being the launching pad for a broader and cultural projects and programs. existing development of the Aboriginal by supporting positive Aboriginal national platform for Aboriginal arts Specific programs and projects visual arts and craft sector in this role models, leadership through locally developed theatre, include: region. opportunities and inclusive dance, music, screen production and community governance models. visual arts. • Program funding to the Aboriginal www.artsnsw.gov.au Cultural Centre and Keeping Place www.daansw.gov.au In October 2010 Arts NSW released at Armidale the NSW Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Strategy (AAC Strategy). The Strategy

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Office of Environment and enjoyment. The 2009 NSW State of traditional lands, waters and Connection to Country for community Heritage, Department of Premier the Environment report notes a five- natural resources (Country) wellbeing.” and Cabinet fold increase in the percentage of land • Undertakes research and protected for Aboriginal cultural values disseminates the findings to Additionally the Corporate Plan Update The Office of Environment and to more than 2.3 million hectares improve the understanding of approach says: Heritage (OEH) formerly known as the during the preceding three years. nature and distribution of cultural Department of Environment, Climate heritage across the landscape “We respect Aboriginal culture, both Change and Water (DECCW) is a The organisation also provides staff, • Manages OEH’s Aboriginal Cultural traditional and contemporary, and the division of the NSW Department of services and other support to the Heritage Information System special relationship that Aboriginal Premier and Cabinet. OEH was formed Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain (AHIMS) and provides cultural people have with Country. We seek to in April this year following the election Trust, the NSW Environmental Trust heritage information services to incorporate their knowledge, insights of the new State Government. This and the Board. the NSW public. and values into our efforts to conserve saw most of the functions of DECCW • Leads the development of and protect the environment.” transferred to the new Office of OEH works with communities to methodologies, standards and Environment and Heritage (OEH). The identify important places and objects priorities for regional Aboriginal To this end, the Corporate Plan goals Heritage Office from the Department and provides guidance in looking after heritage assessments are to: of Planning was also moved into OEH. heritage items. • Provides technical services for the OEH regulates industry, protects and conservation of cultural heritage “Increase Aboriginal people’s conserves the NSW environment, OEH supports the Premier, the within parks, reserves and botanic participation in land, water and manages national parks and reserves Minister for the Environment and the gardens. Coordinates key OEH- natural resource management and and protects the natural, cultural and Minister for Heritage in performing wide cultural heritage programs conservation with the objective that built heritage in NSW. It develops their executive and statutory • Supports all areas of OEH in historic heritage in parks and gardens and leads policy and reform in functions. building relationships with and is managed for the conservation sustainability, biodiversity and native providing services to Aboriginal and presentation of cultural values; vegetation, coastal protection and Country, Culture and Heritage communities across NSW Aboriginal people are supported in the Aboriginal cultural heritage. Division • Coordinates OEH’s responsibilities practice, promotion and renewal of The Country, Culture and Heritage under the NSW Aboriginal Affairs their cultures; Aboriginal community OEH has responsibility for repatriation Division guides and directs OEH’s Plan: Two Ways Together and capacity to manage Country is of artefacts and skeletal remains, approach to identifying, understanding related State Plan priorities. increased.” increasing the capacity of Aboriginal and conserving Aboriginal cultural • Provides administrative support to communities to look after Country, and heritage. The Division also directs the statutory Aboriginal Cultural Aboriginal employment and training conducts projects in cultural research, and manages the Aboriginal Affairs Heritage Advisory Committee. OEH 2010 graduate program intake education and interpretation of culture portfolio on behalf of the agency. consisted of 18 graduates, including and heritage. Broadly, the Country, Culture and Corporate Plan approach, values and two Aboriginal graduates. In 2009–10, Heritage Division has the following goals the agency employed ten Aboriginal OEH is arguably the largest and most functions: In its 2010 Corporate Plan Update, Cadet Rangers, one Aboriginal diverse organisation in the state OEH recognises the rights and status Cadet Project Officer, and one involved in employment and training of • Works with Aboriginal of Aboriginal people in its core values Aboriginal Cadet Policy Officer. Two Aboriginal people in cultural heritage communities, private and public as: cadets successfully completed their and related areas. landowners, local councils cadetships during 2009/10, and were and Catchment Management “We respect the unique rights appointed to permanent positions. OEH manages more than 800 NSW Authorities to protect and and status of Aboriginal people Nine Aboriginal Trainee Field Officers parks and reserves, representing 6.8 conserve Aboriginal cultural based on their prior and continuing and one Aboriginal Trainee Interpretive million hectares of national parks and heritage occupation of the land and waters Assistant were employed. reserves, almost nine per cent of NSW, • Leads the development of of NSW, including the right to self- six marine parks covering more than strategic policies, strategies determination in economic, social 345,100 hectares of NSW waters, and and programs that support the and cultural development. We also 12 aquatic reserve parks covering involvement of Aboriginal people acknowledge the importance of about 34 per cent of NSW waters for in the management of their conservation, education and public

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Strengthening communities through assisting local Aboriginal land councils identified items and a site of cultural bibliography was produced for those Aboriginal Places in NSW to set up GIS systems to view their significance wanting to explore the subject in more OEH protects objects and places of site information in an interactive way. - A project management trial, in which detail. cultural significance to Aboriginal an Aboriginal Cadet Project Manager peoples. To date, 72 Aboriginal Places Aboriginal Park Partnerships is employed and mentored by project Both documents are available from have been declared across NSW Program management consultants, and is www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ including: In 2008/09, OEH established a four- helping to develop business plans for nswcultureheritage/fishing.htm year Aboriginal Park Partnerships projects in the Blue Mountains and - Cubawee Aboriginal Place, west of Program to support partnerships western Sydney. Aboriginal Wellbeing was also Lismore.‘Cubawee’ means ‘a place between OEH and Aboriginal produced in 2009/10, and includes of full and plenty’ in the Bundjalung communities for park Formal joint management options interviews with Aboriginal people language. Cubawee Aboriginal management, education and include: who participated in 11 publications Reserve, was a self-managed interpretation, and to support produced since 2003 on NSW Aboriginal settlement from the 1930s Aboriginal people’s access to and use During 2009/10, two new joint Aboriginal women’s and men’s to the 1960s. of parks for cultural activities. management agreements between heritage - Terry Hie Hie Ground and OEH and Aboriginal peoples were Grinding Grooves Aboriginal Place Projects funded under the program created: at Yarriabini National Park www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ is a place of special significance to included: with the Dunghutti and chpublications Aboriginal people because it is linked peoples and at Gaagal Wanggan with the site of the historic Terry Hie - Seven Aboriginal guides receiving (South Beach) National Park with the The participants have subsequently Hie Aboriginal settlement. training in Certificate I in Tourism or Gumbaynggirr people who wish to see been invited to speak about their - Dandry Gorge Aboriginal Place, in Aboriginal guiding the land conserved for and used by the experiences of participating in the north-west NSW, holds a wide range - Eight members of the Karuah public. production of the publications and to of culturally valued sites and provides Aboriginal community completing a reflect on how this experience affected a link between Aboriginal people and Certificate 2 CALM TAFE accredited Aboriginal people have already had their wellbeing. These reflections will culture today and in the past. course through working as a ’green significant involvement in managing be presented in Aboriginal Men’s and - Lambie Gorge, located on team’ the Yarriabini National Park, including Women’s Heritage: Wellbeing. Country in , is significant - Work with the Brungle/Tumut creating the sculpture at the because it includes Bagal or totemic Aboriginal community to develop Pines picnic area, advising during Supporting the practice of Aboriginal figures embodied in the landscape an oral and written history of the redevelopment of the picnic area and culture and heritage associated with the snake, frog community, and continued training Yarriabini Lookout, and advising on Each year, OEH develops teaching and turtle story. It also possesses and mentoring of Aboriginal people in bush foods and Aboriginal heritage and training resources and conducts evidence of being a traditional camping delivering cultural tours management. training for communities, staff, other area as indicated by the presence of - Recruitment and training for Stage agencies and the public in the care artefact scatters. 2 of the Towra Team Project, which There are now 18 formal joint and management of Aboriginal cultural has led to the employment of 12 management arrangements with heritage. OEH’s Aboriginal Heritage Aboriginal Heritage Information casual Field Officers and two casual Aboriginal communities in place Conservation Officers, located across Management System Discovery Guides, who have gained a covering 111 areas across more than NSW, work in close partnerships with The Aboriginal Heritage Information driver’s licence and developed cultural 1.5 million hectares (or 23 per cent) of local Aboriginal communities and Management System (AHIMS) heritage and land management skills in the reserve system. conservation specialists to protect, contains 64,000 Aboriginal sites partnership with the Guriwal Aboriginal conserve and manage Aboriginal recorded during the past 40 years in Corporation and the La Perouse Land Research into Aboriginal cultural cultural sites and objects, such NSW. Records are constantly updated Council heritage as , traditional burials and so that OEH, other government - Development of a draft co- OEH researches Aboriginal culture and scarred trees. During 2009/10, this departments, Aboriginal communities, management agreement for Koonadan heritage to more effectively work with work included: developers, archeologists and other Historic Site in Leeton, including ‘Back Aboriginal communities to protect and specialists can rely on AHIMS for to Country’ days, workshops, and a manage their heritage. Activities in 2009/10 included: accurate data about Aboriginal cultural site master plan - Tracks Project, which heritage sites and objects in NSW. - Cultural heritage surveys on Aboriginal Women’s Fishing in recorded traditional walking routes Woggoon , involving NSW: Historical documents was that Aboriginal people used to access OEH also works with other agencies 15 Aboriginal community members completed in 2009/10. A thematic the Hunter Valley, and revisited and Aboriginal communities to ensure and support from the Condobolin Local history of Aboriginal women’s fishing significant sites recorded in earlier their participation in accurately Aboriginal Land Council, which has practices was produced for general surveys from the 1970s and 1980s. recording information in AHIMS and is readership, and an extended annotated - Producing the Cultural Connections

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to Wahlubal Country in the Bundjalung about local Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal rock art conservation and The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Nation CD-ROM Interactive Education heritage through walks, talks, tours management Advisory Committee is established Support Kit, to support primary school and school programs. OEH works with Aboriginal under the National Parks and Wildlife curriculum-based learning about communities to protect and conserve Act 1974, and consists of nominees Aboriginal connections to the local More than 5500 participants joined important rock art sites and during from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council natural environment, native plants and programs led by Blue Mountains 2009/10 this included work near and Aboriginal Elders groups, as well animals, and science and technology Aboriginal Discovery Guides in 09-10. , Jervis Bay National Park, as registered native title claimants - Training in Aboriginal site awareness Discovery Programs at Tumut have at Como and the Dharawal Nature and Aboriginal owners. It advises and Aboriginal culture and heritage grown during the past four years to Reserve in Sydney’s south. At The the Minister for Climate Change and management through the deliver to more than 5000 participants Basin, in Ku-ring-gai Chase National the Environment and the Director Institute of TAFE as part of private each year, with a major focus on Park. OEH Aboriginal field officers, General of OEH on matters relating native forestry courses, to assist Aboriginal Discovery. with the Metropolitan Land Council, to the identification, assessment and private land holders, machine highlighted engravings, removed management of Aboriginal cultural operators, forest contractors and Since early 2009, this Discovery vegetation and installed new heritage in NSW. crews working on private property to program, in conjunction with landscape interpretive signs. better understand and manage cultural photographer Murray van der Veer, has Other joint projects with Aboriginal sites and artefacts run a regular three-day photographic Culture camps communities - The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage workshop which is available to all new Culture camps support and enhance In 2009/10, OEH concluded the Teachers Kit, a resource to help and experienced photographers. Aboriginal connections to Country three-year funding and management teachers conduct lessons about through intergenerational learning, the agreement with NTSCorp, who traditional and contemporary www.discoveryphoto.org/dpj/ practice of custodial responsibilities implemented the Gomeroi Project in Aboriginal culture and heritage and the continuation of valued north-west NSW Participants found - Our Country, Our Water, a resource A photographic exhibition entitled traditions. Camps conducted with OEH the most significant benefits of such for Aboriginal communities about Discovering Country held at the Rocks support during 2009/10 included: work were an enhanced sense of water management in NSW in Sydney showcased works from - The Living Country Culture Camp community, developing their leadership - Aboriginal site awareness training the workshop. Proceeds from the at the Jenolan Karst Conservation skills, access to Country, facilitating sessions, which aim to improve exhibition are contributing towards Reserve where representatives from their to care for Country and participants’ understanding of further training and employment the six Aboriginal language groups strengthening their cultural identity. Aboriginal cultural heritage site values, opportunities for Aboriginal people of the Greater Blue Mountains World OEH supported the Regional OEH’s responsibilities and procedures, in the and Tumut Heritage Area (Darkinjung, Darug, Partnership Agreement, which was and the legislation that applies to . Dharawal, Gundungurra, Wanaruah and signed in 2009–10 in Coffs Harbour cultural heritage and its management. Wiradjuri), along with staff from OEH between the Australian and NSW The Aboriginal Discovery Program and the Trust, took part governments, the Many Rivers Training OEH also develops policies and is offering an Aboriginal Tour Guide in workshops, art, dance, storytelling, Enterprise and Employment Aboriginal strategies to help staff meet their Training and Mentoring Program, bushwalking, boomerang throwing, Corporation, the NSW Aboriginal culture and heritage responsibilities. In which is increasing opportunities swimming and visiting the Jenolan Land Council and representatives 2009/10, activities included finalising for Aboriginal people to work with Caves from industry and non-government the Aboriginal Languages Policy which OEH to develop their careers through - The 31st Eden cultural Camp with the organisations. The agreement aims to implements the NSW Government’s accredited training and traditional La Perouse Men’s Elders Group address Indigenous unemployment in Aboriginal Languages Strategic Plan learning. - a women’s cultural camp at Saltwater the Many Rivers region, by increasing and guides OEH staff in the use of National Park involving Aboriginal Aboriginal employment in the climate Aboriginal languages in publications, Discovery for Schools women from the Taree community change, environment and conservation interpretive materials, signage and This program supports nine casual - A culture camp on the south coast job markets. tours Discovery Rangers, including a part- for the Shoalhaven community to time Aboriginal Discovery Ranger and promote and educate male Koori youth OEH’s Tumut parks office organised www.environment.nsw.gov. a casual Aboriginal Discovery Ranger. on men’s health issues, with health an adventure kids camp for Aboriginal au/nswcultureheritage/ Across the Sydney area, 364 programs professionals, service providers and youth as the first stage of a two-year aboriginallangspolicy.htm were delivered to 12,364 students. community members attending project. It is hoped that the second In northern NSW, over 300 programs - A culture camp in Yarriabini stage will see OEH employing a trainee Aboriginal Discovery program were delivered to more than 25,000 National Park on the north coast in Adventure Guide in partnership with Through the Aboriginal Discovery students, focusing on Aboriginal March 2010 for the Dhungutti and local adventure tourism providers. program OEH works with local culture, cane toads, and living with Gumbaynggirr community to celebrate OEH’s Narrabri parks office Aboriginal communities to encourage wildlife. the signing of a memorandum of continued to develop partnerships the broader community to learn more understanding between OEH and local through existing joint management Aboriginal communities. arrangements. Programs established in

Building cultural futures 62 Building cultural futures 63 RESOURCES

2009/10 included: Solitary Islands . history recording, archaeological site been more than 70 repatriations as - The employment of 12 Aboriginal The island is important to the local identification and use of technical part of the program in the past three people with OEH Gumbaynggirr people and is the site tools to record Aboriginal sites. The years. - The Sculptures in the Scrub project of a nesting colony of shearwaters. project: resulted in 517 new records at Dandry Gorge in the Pilliga The project is an important outcome relating to Aboriginal people’s During 2009/10, OEH also developed - Aboriginal site training and surveys for the local Aboriginal community of association with, and connection to, a Collections Care and Control - Site conservation works Coffs Harbour, with both Elders and the , as well as information Strategy to ensure the proper safe - Exploration of the cave complex at young people involved. The area is an relating to Aboriginal people’s keeping and management of Aboriginal Kelvin Aboriginal Area near Gunnedah. important tourism drawcard for Coffs involvement in natural resource objects in OEH’s possession before - Bomaderry Creek Regional Park near Harbour, with over 150,000 visitors management and views on water they are repatriated to communities. Nowra gained new visitor facilities per year. management and regulation: The strategy has resulted in a and interpretation works following - Included archaeological research and comprehensive inventory of all a volunteer project organised by The public art project is a predictive modelling that recorded over materials being held, and their storage OEH with Aboriginal students from collaboration between Arts Mid North 1200 new Aboriginal sites in safe and secure facilities. Shoalhaven High School to create Coast (who received the grant), - Produced 13 Aboriginal oral histories and install two mosaic artworks Coffs Harbour City Council, the local and five non-Aboriginal oral histories People, Plants and Place interpreting the significance of Aboriginal Elders Group (Garlamirla containing information on people, The Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Bomaderry Creek to the local Guyuu Girwrwaa) and OEH. places and events Trust recognises that each of its three Aboriginal community. - Identified a range of socioeconomic botanic estates - the Royal Botanic Creating new opportunities at Sea development opportunities for Garden Sydney and the Domain, the The Botany Bay initiatives Acres Rainforest Nature Reserve Aboriginal people in natural and Australian Botanic Garden Mount During 2009/10, as part of the launch The Yun Yi Barragay – Walk With Me cultural resource management Annan and the Blue Mountains of the Meeting Place Project, the dual program is a partnership project with - Led to two formal access and use Botanic Garden Mount Tomah - has naming of Kamay Botany Bay National the local Aboriginal community to agreements between private land an Indigenous history. The traditional Park took place. First Encounters is develop and market educational and holders and Aboriginal community owners of these lands are the Cadigal, the title of a long-running exhibition at interpretive experiences in Sea Acres organisations to allow Aboriginal Dharawal and Darug respectively. Click the Kamay Botany Bay Visitor Centre Nature Reserve. Three new visitor people access to certain lands for here to find out about the Indigenous art gallery. The exhibition is the and educational experiences were cultural purposes and to use people of Sydney, Aboriginal bush result of a partnership between OEH, created in 2009/10: Bush Tucker resources sustainably foods and Bush foods of NSW. the Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Tours, Schools Education Program and - Gave effect to the Murrumbidgee The Trust and local Aboriginal Art and Culture Studio and the Coastal Walk. These are being piloted Cultural Water Allocation, which is communities are working together to Australian Society of Marine Artists. with targeted groups and schools. part of the Murrumbidgee Water create themed gardens and displays, The current Aboriginal display is a The program employs four casual Sharing Plan. educational programs, guided tours private collection on loan from a local Aboriginal interpretive guides. and publications to acknowledge Aboriginal Elder. Repatriation and reburial the significance of these lands to Aboriginal heritage and culture The NSW Repatriation Program Aboriginal people, past and present. Muttonbird Island arts project identified and preserved in wetlands facilitates the return of Aboriginal In June 2010, the Federal Government The NSW Rivers Environmental ancestral remains, Aboriginal cultural Land Alive announced the successful grant Restoration Program aims to arrest property, knowledge and information Land Alive is funded by the recipients for the second round of the the decline of wetlands in the that originate from NSW, and that are Environmental Trust over four years Jobs Fund. One successful grant was Lower Murrumbidgee and Lachlan currently held in Australian museums to build the capacity of Aboriginal for the redevelopment of the entrance River systems. The Recording of and collecting institutions, to landowners to be effective land to Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve in Aboriginal Use and Values project, Aboriginal communities. Repatriations managers. The project builds Coffs Harbour. which concluded in 2009–10, has are carried out under an agreed NSW knowledge and understanding of the documented Aboriginal cultural values Repatriation Framework and Program. biodiversity and cultural values of A grant of $320,000 will develop an around the wetlands, and aims to OEH also coordinates the return of land holdings, develops experience in interpretive arts project that includes increase Aboriginal people’s access to, ancestral remains and cultural material conservation programs and delivers an outdoor education and performance and use of, the wetlands, their waters held in OEH collections under the accredited training in conservation space, information on the cultural and and their resources. National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. land management to Aboriginal natural values of the nature reserve, The project engaged more than 60 In 2009/10, OEH returned 65 sets of communities. Thirty Aboriginal trainees employment of Aboriginal artists, Aboriginal community members from remains or collections and assisted continued training in conservation and training and employment of Lake Cargelligo, Griffith, Ivanhoe, with the return of an additional land management during the year. Aboriginal Discovery Rangers to run Hay, and , and four remains and collections held In 2009/10, Land Alive funded the cultural tours of the nature reserve trained Aboriginal people in historical by museums and universities, to development of management plans for and surrounding reserves, including research, tracing family history, oral Aboriginal communities. There have a further four Aboriginal-owned

Building cultural futures 64 Building cultural futures 65 RESOURCES

areas, bringing the total number of Memorial at Mount Annan Botanic people have used for food, tools and garden walls’ and serve the broader Aboriginal land management plans to Garden were instigated as early as weapons and provide an Indigenous community through innovative nine. 1999, as a partnership between the perspective on living with, and from, outreach programs. NSW Stolen Generations Committee, the native bushland. The Royal Botanic To meet this objective the Community Aboriginal gardens and installations the Botanic Gardens Trust and Link Gardens is the place where some Education Unit has forged strong links Up NSW. Visitors will experience of the earliest prolonged European with communities in need who have The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney the memorial as a journey of healing encounters with the local Aboriginal established or who are interested Cadi Jam Ora: First Encounters - is and reflection, as they pass through people, the Cadigal, occurred. Contact in establishing their own communal an award-winning garden display that beautiful Woodland - First Encounters and Contact Study garden projects. interprets the Aboriginal cultural along a series of boardwalks leading Day investigate what really happened heritage of the Royal Botanic Garden. to a peaceful meeting place with when the arrived in Sydney In 1999 the Trust joined with Housing Surrounded by native vegetation that water and a sandstone sculptural Harbour in 1788 and attempted to NSW to establish a partnership called would have existed around Sydney centrepiece. establish an agricultural foothold on Community Greening for a range of Harbour approximately 200 years Australian soil. activities to promote communal garden ago, and incorporating the First Visitors to the Fruit Loop circular Changing Rights and Freedoms of projects that may be undertaken by Farm display which was developed garden located within the Australian Aboriginal People gives students the Botanic Gardens Trust and Housing in 1988 to tell the story of early Botanic Garden will see and taste the opportunity to understand NSW together. It is hoped that over European farming practices, a native fruits in season, learn about contemporary Aboriginal cultural and time this partnership will expand to 52-metre sculptural ‘storyline’ tells bush foods and find out about plants social issues and bush tucker lessons include other government departments the Aboriginal from that are important to Dharawal people. are offered to students studying and private industry. The Dreaming to the present. The text courses offered at TAFE in on the storyline was compiled from a The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden partnership with the Restaurant & Promoting communal gardening in variety of sources including more than Mount Tomah Catering Association of NSW. social housing communities, and on 40 interviews with local Aboriginal The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden’s nearby locations makes a significant people. Darug Connections acknowledges Publications contribution to improved social the land it occupies is part of Darug A wide range of specialised cohesion, crime reduction and public This provocative garden gives insight Aboriginal Country and respects publications that link Aboriginal people health in both urban and regional NSW. into the first encounters between the rights of Indigenous people, to plants and places are to be found Currently there are in excess of early European settlers and the particularly in relation to land, culture at all three Botanic Garden Shops. In 140 communities participating in traditional Indigenous inhabitants, and heritage. ‘Tomah’ is reputedly addition, the Trust has two of its own the development or establishment the Cadigal, and interprets their the Darug word for tree fern. These relevant titles: of gardens in social housing differing environmental perspectives. magnificent plants dominate the communities, on local Council land, in Wuganmagulya (Farm Cove) - is a rainforest in the area. Interpretive • Bush Foods of New South Wales the grounds of churches, hospitals and ground artwork found along the Farm signage celebrating the past, present by Kathy Stewart and Bob Percival schools. Cove path which links the Opera House and future Darug associations with (1997), with colour photographs, and Mrs Macquaries Point. Mount Tomah and other Aboriginal illustrations, descriptions and places in the region is located at botanical information about 30 In two sections of the pathway, figures significant places around the Garden. of the most commonly used found in rock carvings in the Sydney The signs are illustrated with works of bush food plants of NSW. This area are represented in terrazzo and art created by Darug artists. book is now out of print. See the stained concrete. Etched into the Bush foods of NSW web pages pathway kerb are names of women and Aboriginal Education Programs (or download pdf file) and the men, places, animals, tools and rituals At each of the Botanic Gardens, Aboriginal bush foods web pages . from the clans and language groups of lessons with Aboriginal themes • Darug Connections by Suzanne the Sydney area. have been developed for primary Kenney (2000), a booklet that (K-6), secondary (7-12) and tertiary tells the Darug Aboriginal story The Australian Botanic Garden students. These are closely linked to with works of art created by Darug Mount Annan curriculum requirements and NSW artists Robyn Caughlan, Mrs Edna Yandel’ora is the name the Dharawal syllabus outcomes. Watson and Ian Bundeluk Watson. people gave to Mount Annan. The Whenever possible, lessons are led by name means ‘place of peace between Aboriginal Education Officers. Community Greening helping people peoples’ and the Australian Botanic Lessons such as Aboriginal People to garden Garden is the site where a memorial and Plants, Bush Foods of Sydney, The Royal Botanic Gardens and to the Stolen Generations is located. Aboriginal Studies and Everyone Needs Domain Trust has a commitment Plans for the Stolen Generations a Home identify plants that Aboriginal to take its expertise ‘beyond the

Building cultural futures 66 Building cultural futures 67 AGENCIES

State and Non-Government Agencies

State Records Authority of NSW Kempsey, Newcastle, Moruya, Bega, From 2003 to March 2010 a total this year the 2010 Parliament of NSW Wagga Wagga, , Dubbo, of $79,091 in funding support to Aboriginal Art Prize (2011) has toured This is the State Government’s Griffith and Broken Hill; and the Sydney volunteer museums and regional to WADJAR gallery at Yarrawarra archives and records management suburbs of Penrith and Hurstville. galleries was provided to support Aboriginal Corporation Armidale authority. It manages the NSW activities with Aboriginal collections Aboriginal Cultural Centre and State archives collection, sets the While most of the Aborigines Welfare and communities. This is a total of 21 Keeping Place. Additionally Aboriginal rules and provides guidance on the Board photographs were taken to grants across 11 regions of the state. exhibitions and galleries are promoted management of official records. document the work of the Board and to The breakdown is as follows: through the M&G NSW register. promote its policies, the exhibition has State Record holds a significant helped create a new purpose and place Region number of grants The NSW Aboriginal Art Fund number of records that document for the photographs within Aboriginal Central West 3 provides funding up to $3000 for the NSW governments’ dealings with life today. State Records has begun Hunter 3 individuals and up to $15000 for Aboriginal people from 1788 until a reconsultation process to find ways Murray 2 organisations and supports arts today. These include the records of of keeping the exhibition alive within Northern 1 projects that celebrate and promote the Aborigines Protection and Welfare communities for future generations. Northern Rivers 4 Aboriginal cultural identities in Boards, which controlled Aboriginal Orana 2 regional NSW, promote engagement people’s lives from the 1880s until Museums & Galleries NSW Riverina Eastern 1 and awareness of Aboriginal arts, 1969. Within the Board records, there South East 2 develop capacity and sustainability of are a series of 1000 black and white Museums & Galleries NSW is proud 1 Aboriginal organisations and increase photographs, showing people on NSW of its engagement and support for West 1 professional and skills development for reserves and missions; in schools and the Aboriginal sector during the past Western Sydney 1 Aboriginal artists. children’s homes; and as couples, 11 years of its existence. families and communities. Standards Program www.mgnsw.org.au It is now consolidating its work in the Aboriginal standards reviewers have State Records Indigenous Archive Aboriginal sector through a four goal served on the standards review team Regional Arts NSW staff travelled to communities to strategy that responds to the Arts which visit galleries and museums, consult with Elders about showing the NSW Aboriginal strategy 2010, the review policy and other documents Regional Arts NSW is the peak body photographs in culturally sensitive appointment of an Aboriginal Sector and provide reports and advice to for regional arts activity in NSW. ways. Together with a curator and Development Manager and the Keeping museums and galleries who have Based in Sydney, it provides a range exhibition designers they have created Places & Beyond: building cultural carried out the program. Illawarra of services and represents a state- the In Living Memory exhibition of futures in NSW summit as a starting Aboriginal Cultural Centre and wide network of Regional Arts Boards surviving photographs from the Board point for further recommendations to Keeping Place, Armidale Aboriginal (RABs) in the key areas of: records. The exhibition also includes government. Cultural Centre and Keeping Place and - Advocacy contemporary images by Indigenous Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum - Capacity building photographer , The M&G NSW Board has had an have completed the Standards - Communications taken during the ongoing exhibition Aboriginal Director ongoing since 2000 Program. - Support consultation process. (four in total) and an Aboriginal Sector There are 14 Regional Arts Development Manager since January Touring exhibitions of Aboriginal Development Boards in NSW, In Living Memory first opened at 2011. material each providing strategic direction State Records Gallery in The Rocks in From 1999/2008 M&G NSW toured for sustainable arts and cultural September 2006 and proved to be so Since 2000 M&G NSW has run more 16 exhibitions with significant development in their region. important to NSW communities that it than 15 programs exploring Aboriginal representation of Aboriginal material, still remains on display at the gallery. themes and issues in museums and six of which had an entirely Aboriginal (continued page 70) A touring version of the exhibition galleries and/or with Aboriginal focus. These exhibitions went to 91 travelled to 18 venues around NSW speakers. Some 22 Aboriginal venues with audience attendance of from May 2008 until October 2010, organisations and 37 individuals 268,214. Exhibitions have been sent including Nowra, Moree, Walgett, have attended M&G NSW programs. to six Aboriginal cultural centres and Brewarrina, Quirindi, Armidale, Ballina,

Building cultural futures 68 Building cultural futures 69 AGENCIES

RADOs and RICDOs at engaging them in worthwhile • Researchers - developing data culture and heritage activities vary The RADO Network is governed projects that also meet their management plans and providing across Land Councils, but include by Regional Arts NSW. Position departmental guidelines and goals. contextual information relating to the management of cultural centres descriptions for Regional Arts their research and keeping places, participation Development Officers (RADOs) www.regionalartsnsw.com.au/ • Higher Education Institutions - in culture and heritage advisory vary from region to region and are network/roleofaRADO.html identifying nationally significant committees and a range of projects in developed to reflect the arts and datasets and research projects as the community to improve awareness cultural infrastructure, geographic www.outbackarts.com.au/RICDO well as assisting with development and understanding of Aboriginal location, demographics and available of strategies to ensure cultural heritage. resources of each region. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait preservation and access to data regions, where there is little arts Islander Data Archive • Government - influencing policies Aboriginal Land Councils in NSW and cultural infrastructure, or few relating to research data, have a responsibility to take action groups engaged in arts and cultural ATSIDA (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Indigenous research material, to promote and protect Aboriginal development, the RADO or, in Islander Data Archive) is a specialised, Intellectual Property (IP) and culture and heritage. With this in some locations, also the Regional trusted research data management moral rights, etc. mind, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council Indigenous Cultural Development facility for Australian Indigenous • International organisations - supports this summit on Aboriginal Officer (RICDO) undertakes the research data and is managed by the collaborating with international cultural centres, knowledge centres planning and development of projects UTS Library. ATSIDA is a thematic Indigenous policy developers and and keeping places to encourage in partnership with existing groups to archive within the Australian Data researchers dialogue and debate about investment meet the needs of local communities. Archive () formerly the Australian opportunities in Aboriginal cultural Sometimes, this involves facilitating Social Science Data Archive with www.atsida.edu.au infrastructure. the establishment of local groups. its datasets stored securely at the Australian National University (ANU) NSW Aboriginal Land Council www.alc.org.au Boards include representatives from Supercomputer Facility. local government, tourism, education, The Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 Local Government & Shires arts councils and other community ATSIDA is guided by a board of (ALRA) establishes Land Councils Association (LGSA) arts organisations and community internationally recognised experts as the elected representatives for members. Each employs a Regional in Australian Indigenous research. Aboriginal people in NSW. The Local Government Association of Arts Development Officer (RADO) and, The staff who manage the data are NSW and the Shires Association of in most instances, other staff who experienced professionals in process The NSW Aboriginal Land Council NSW are the peak industry bodies for coordinate a cultural development and information management, (NSWALC) is the largest member Local Government in NSW. program across the contributing local Indigenous research and digital based Aboriginal organisation in government areas in their region. In preservation management. ATSIDA Australia. As the State’s peak Together, the Local Government other regions, where there is well draws on the expertise of the representative body in Aboriginal Association (LGA) of NSW and the established and mature arts and Jumbunna Indigenous House of affairs, the NSWALC aims to protect Shires Association of NSW represent cultural infrastructure, the RADO Learning and has a Memorandum of the interests and further the 152 general purpose councils as works at a regional strategic and Understanding with the Australian aspirations of its members and the well as about 13 special purpose planning level to assist groups to Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait broader Aboriginal community. councils. Regions of NSW Aboriginal work together and access additional Islander Studies (AIATSIS). Land Council are also eligible to be resources, thereby strengthening the NSWALC provides support to the members of the LGA. The Associations network of arts and cultural activities As well as ensuring the storage network of 119 Local Aboriginal Land represent the views of these councils that already exist. and preservation of data relating to Councils (LALCs) that are autonomous by: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bodies which are governed by local Additionally, RADOs access regional, peoples, ATSIDA staff work closely Boards elected by local Aboriginal • Presenting councils views to State and Federal resources for local with: community members. All Aboriginal governments arts and cultural groups that may not adults in NSW are eligible to join a • Promoting Local Government to have the knowledge or skills to do • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Land Council and vote in Land Council the community this. Increasingly these resources are Islander communities - managing elections. • Providing specialist advice and sought through government agencies appropriate access and return of services. that do not have an arts and cultural digital materials The responsibilities of NSWALC brief, and RADOs have become adept and LALCs under the ALRA include Councils can choose to be members of the protection and promotion of either Association. Each Association Aboriginal culture and heritage. These has its own elected Executive headed

Building cultural futures 70 Building cultural futures 71 AGENCIES

by a President, which meets every volunteering and creative industries Following a merit based process, the two months and holds an annual and target groups such as Aboriginal NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative conference where members are able people. It is intended that specific Group (NSW AECG Inc.) has been to vote on issues affecting local projects/programs under the Accord granted $1.277 million (approximately government. The Annual Conference will be articulated through the $400,000 every year for three years) is the supreme policy making event for Associations’ funding agreement with to develop the CALCD, which will be each Association. The Associations Arts NSW. The 4th Cultural Accord overseen by a Council of experts in the also have a Joint Committee, which will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 field that are yet to be determined. makes many of the management December 2013. and policy decisions on behalf of the www.aecg.nsw.edu.au Associations. The committee meets www.lgsa.org.au each alternate month. Aboriginal Education Consultative Below: AECG Annual Conference Four standing committees - Local Group 2010 Government Operations and Reform, Social Policy, Economic Policy and The NSW AECG is an Aboriginal Natural and Built Environment meet bi- community controlled, independent, monthly to deal with specific issues. not-for-profit advocacy group. Via their staff the Associations The AECG promotes respect, also provide industrial relations empowerment and self-determination and specialist advice to councils, and believes the process of organise conferences and other collaborative consultation is integral events and meetings relevant to Local to achieving equity in education and Government (such as the annual is fundamental to the achievement of Local Government Water Management equality. Conference and Local Government Week), as well as provide training for The governance arm of the AECG is councilors and council staff on behalf made up of volunteer members who of the Associations. are elected to office bearer positions. AECG office bearers are actively LGSA Cultural Accord involved in the local and regional The Cultural Accords commenced AECG network throughout NSW and in 1997 arising out of the are the principal source of advice recommendations of a Review of on behalf of Aboriginal communities Regional Arts Development in NSW on issues relating to Aboriginal which suggested that Arts NSW education training and associated negotiate a formal agreement with services. The elected arm of the AECG the Associations in order to support is supported by a small NSW AECG the arts throughout the State and Secretariat that provide administrative develop creative links between Local and management support to Local, Government and the State. Regional and State Executive Committees. The 4th Cultural Accord is an overarching high-level agreement Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Victor between Arts NSW and the Dominello MP has announced funding Associations on arts and cultural for the creation of the Centre for development. It reflects Government Aboriginal Languages Coordination and priorities relating to participation, Development (CALCD).

Building cultural futures 72 Building cultural futures 73 FUNDING BODIES Federal Government

The Office For The Arts, Prime of knowledge and skills across Strait Islander people who practice any levels, as well as nationally and Minister and Cabinet age groups to build sustainable artform and live in urban, regional and internationally. The Board gives priority communities, develop skills and remote areas. to applications that place Indigenous The Office for the Arts (OFTA) encourage a strong sense of personnel in key positions and within Prime Minister and Cabinet identity. The Board supports all artforms, requires applicants to use accepted administers a range of Australian • Maintenance of Indigenous including music, dance, theatre and industry standards for remuneration Government programs that aim to Languages and Records: provides storytelling, visual arts and crafts, in proposed projects. Non-Indigenous support Indigenous arts, culture, support for community based writing, new media, community organisations applying to the Board languages and broadcasting. Indigenous language projects development, international activity need to demonstrate clear evidence including: support for a network and arts infrastructure. The Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander There are several grants offered to of locally based Indigenous recognises the integral links between control, participation and support various levels of funding. languages centres; projects art, culture, language, heritage, land throughout the project. These include: that raise the national profile and sea, as well as customary law of Indigenous languages; new and the importance of developing and The Board targets its funding support • The Return of Indigenous Cultural innovative models in delivering growing the Indigenous arts sector to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Property: (RICP) program aims training to Indigenous language and its industries by supporting the Islander artists and communities and to return Aboriginal and Torres workers; projects supporting creation, development, production, encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains language in contemporary music distribution and dissemination of Strait Islander people to seek grants and secret sacred objects held and digital media; language artistic and creative works. The offered by the other Boards of the in major government-funded nests; and projects building the Board also acknowledges the need Australia Council. museums to their communities of sustainability of the Indigenous for artists, communities and arts origin where possible and when language sector. organisations to conserve and Strategy and policy requested. Through the program, • Indigenous Broadcasting Program: preserve traditional and contemporary Since 2005, the Aboriginal and the Australian Government, supports the operations of artistic expressions for future Torres Strait Islander Board has state and Northern Territory Indigenous owned and controlled generations to appreciate, learn made important changes to the governments and the museums community radio broadcast from and understand their cultural Indigenous arts landscape by sector collaborate to resolve stations to promote language inheritance and identity as Indigenous supporting artists and protecting issues relating to Australian maintenance and cultural peoples. their artistic works. These changes collections of ancestral remains development, disseminate evolved from recommendations of and secret sacred objects. health and education information The Board regards Aboriginal and the Creating Pathways conference • National Arts and Crafts Industry and provide entertainment to Torres Strait Islander cultures as living for dance (2005), the Senate Inquiry Support: The National Arts and Indigenous communities. forces, with their own strengths and into Indigenous Visual Arts (2006), Crafts Industry Support program influences, not simply remnants of the Making Solid Ground: Indigenous provides direct funding support Australia Council For The Arts past. It aims to make these cultures infrastructure and key organisations to Indigenous art centres and part of the contemporary experiences review (2008), the development of industry support and advocacy The Aboriginal and Torres Strait of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander the Indigenous Australian Commercial organisations. The program’s Islander Arts Board of the Australia people - and a source of pride for all Code of Conduct for the visual arts overall objectives are to assist Council is committed to keeping Australians. (2009), Song Cycles: An audit of art centres to become stronger culture strong support infrastructure for Indigenous and to build a more sustainable Funding Indigenous arts music in Australia (2010), Indigenous Indigenous visual arts industry. The Board assists Indigenous people The Board encourages applications Cultural Festivals: evaluating impact • Indigenous Culture Support: to claim, control and enhance their that are culturally appropriate and on community health and well-being The Indigenous Culture Support cultural inheritance by funding innovative, have excellent artistic (2010) and the National Indigenous Program supports participation the development and promotion of outcomes, and which produce Theatre Forum (2010), to name a few. by Indigenous Australians in traditional and contemporary arts strategic results that promote community based cultural practices – and new forms of cultural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander The strategic initiatives managed activities and the transmission expression – by Aboriginal and Torres arts at local, state and territory by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Building cultural futures 74 Building cultural futures 75 FUNDING BODIES

Islander Arts Board from 2005/06 Attitudes to Indigenous arts and Torres Strait Islander artists to DEEWR is committed to the Australian to 2010/11 have involved some 37 The appreciation and enjoyment of develop their own designs, or only use Government’s goal of reducing industry partnerships and addressed Indigenous arts by Australian and designs in keeping with their specific Indigenous disadvantage and to the key areas of artist careers, international audiences is increasing. cultural identity. reconciliation between Indigenous and international showcasing, Indigenous Recent Australia Council arts other Australians. cultural and intellectual property and participation research shows that, of See the Australia Council’s Indigenous Of the Closing the Gap targets, sector development in the disciplines those who had attended visual arts protocol guides for further information. DEEWR has key responsibility for the of music, dance and festivals. and crafts events or theatre, dance following: or music performances in the past 12 www.australiacouncil.gov.au This activity has resulted in the Deadly months, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) • To ensure all Indigenous four Funny! Indigenous Comedy Showcase had been to arts created or performed Artsupport Australia years olds in remote communities at the Melbourne International by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artsupport Australia is a free have access to early childhood Comedy Festival (held annually), the artists. mentoring and advisory unit of the education within five years; Indigenous Australian Commercial Australia Council for the Arts, set up • To halve the gap in reading, writing Code of Conduct for the visual arts, Attitudes to Indigenous arts are to grow cultural philanthropy. It offers and numeracy achievements the Culture Warriors exhibition at increasingly positive, signalling a great the following services to artists and for Indigenous children within a the National Gallery of Australia, the opportunity to grow the Indigenous arts organisations: decade; annual Australasian World Music Expo, art audience across Australia. There • To halve the gap for Indigenous the establishment of Blak Dance, is a direct relationship between • Free one-to-one mentoring to students in year 12 attainment profiling of Indigenous musicians by attitudes to Indigenous arts and develop and grow philanthropic or equivalent attainment rates by , the Accelerate Indigenous attendance, with those who had funding, including assistance with 2020; and Cultural Leadership program (in attended an Indigenous arts activity preparing grant applications and • To halve the gap in employment partnership with the British Council) having significantly stronger and more building relationships with donors outcomes between Indigenous and and the formation of the of positive interest than others. and the philanthropic sector non-Indigenous Australians within Indigenous Festivals. • Presentations to Boards to a decade. Cultural industries educate and inspire them to Current board priorities While Australian cultural industries are become more actively engaged in The Indigenous Higher Education The Board’s five priority areas for substantial and growing, the return to philanthropic fund-raising Advisory Council 2010/11 are: artists for their creative work is small • Sourcing and assisting arts fund- The Indigenous Higher Education and Indigenous practitioners are very raising staff and board placements Advisory Council (IHEAC) provides • Coordinate and engage a range likely to receive much less than the • Annual lectures and masterclasses policy advice to the Australian of partnerships to increase average artist. At the same time, the to build the capacity of arts Government on higher education, creative and cultural leadership value of Indigenous arts activity to organisations to successfully research and research training opportunities for Indigenous individuals, families and communities secure philanthropic income issues in relation to Aboriginal artists, arts workers and is significant culturally, socially and themselves. and Torres Strait Islander higher organisations economically - and its potential is education students and staff. The • Develop and implement significant in all communities. Recent Find out more about Artsupport at National Indigenous Higher Education collaborative cross council research by the Royal Melbourne Workforce Strategy (NIHEWS) was strategies for emerging, mid- (RMIT) and the www.australiacouncil.gov.au/ launched by the IHEAC in June 2011. career and established Indigenous Telstra Foundation about the role of philanthropy/artsupport_australia The NIHEWS seeks to build Indigenous artists and arts workers Indigenous festivals highlights not only representation in the higher education • Explore and promote the use economic benefits, but improved well- Department of Education, sector, with a particular emphasis on of digital media to increase being as people reported increased Employment and Workplace increasing the number of Indigenous engagement of Indigenous artists cultural pride and self-esteem, a sense Relations (DEEWR) academic employees. It contains four and to facilitate their creative of inclusion, belonging and a strong core policy objectives: works to wider audiences cultural identity. DEEWR is the Federal Government • Identify and promote the agency providing national leadership • To enhance employment pathways participation of Indigenous artists Cultural ownership in education and workplace training, for existing Indigenous employees; and organisations in programs The Board is concerned about the transition to work and conditions and • To increase new employment • Review and maximise the appropriation of traditional imagery values in the workplace. opportunities for Indigenous efficiency and effectiveness of and design. In seeking to protect people; divisional operations. copyright and cultural ownership, the • To develop a working environment Board strongly urges all Aboriginal appropriate to the needs of

Building cultural futures 76 Building cultural futures 77 FUNDING BODIES

Indigenous people; and research in disciplines relevant to will be undertaken by a key group of Armidale; Sturt Public Wagga Wagga; • To improve university community Closing the Gap, including but not schools called Focus Schools. These Tahmoor Public; Taree Public; The engagement and outreach with limited to the study of Aboriginal are schools with Aboriginal and Torres Sir Memorial Public, Indigenous communities. and Torres Strait Islander languages, Strait Islander primary school students Tenterfield; Tingha Public;Tolland societies, identities, economies, with the greatest need and where Public, Wagga Wagga; Toomelah Strategic Roadmap for Australian businesses, governance, histories, efforts should be focused to make the Public; Toormina Public; Tregear Research Infrastructure Discussion cultures and creativities. greatest difference: Public; Tweed Heads South Public; Paper (May 2011) Walgett Community College; Warren The Understanding Cultures and The Council recognises that a Albion Park Rail Public; Alma Central; Public; Wellington Communities Expert Working Group distributed national eResearch facility Public Broken Hill; Ashmont Public Public; Westlawn Public Grafton; has identified Indigenous Knowledge identified in the discussion paper Wagga Wagga; Ballina Public; Westport Public ; as one field of research relevant to could enhance research that aims to Baradine Central School; Batemans Whalan Public; Wilcannia Central; Closing the Gap that demands large- advance our understanding of cultures Bay Public; Bathurst West Public; William Bayldon Public, Sawtell; scale infrastructure support. IHEAC and communities, including Aboriginal Bermagui Public; Blackett Public; Windale Public; Woodberry Public; endorses the inclusion of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander cultures and Boggabilla Central; Bourke Public; Central. Knowledge. Aboriginal and Torres communities. IHEAC would support Bowen Public, Orange; Braddock Strait Islander people have the oldest government investment in a distributed Public, Cranebrook; Brewarrina Department of Sustainability, living knowledge systems in the world, national eResearch facility if this met Central School; Broken Hill North Environment, Water, Population and intellectual traditions that predate needs of Indigenous researchers and Public; Budgewoi Public; Buninyong and Communities western intellectual traditions by research in the field of Indigenous Public Dubbo; Casino Public; Casino millennia. These Indigenous knowledge knowledge. Indigenous access to and West Public; Cobar Public; Coffs The department is responsible systems and intellectual traditions appropriateness of this infrastructure Harbour Public; Collarenebri Central; for implementing the Australian have culturally-distinct knowledge could be facilitated by ongoing Condobolin Public; Government’s policies to protect bases, research methodologies, engagement between government and Public; Coraki Public; Public; environment and heritage, and to evidentiary systems and values. the Indigenous research community. Crawford Public, Doonside; Curran promote a sustainable way of life. They are complete systems in their Public, Macquarie Fields; Dareton own right and represent a unique The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Public, Doonside; Drummond Memorial The Environmental Protection and asset. Indigenous knowledge and Education Action Plan 2010/14 Public Armidale; Dubbo West Public; Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Indigenous culture have a powerful A national plan that commits all Gillwinga Public, South Grafton; (EPBC Act) establishes the National and marketable currency; however governments in Australia to a Glenroi Heights Public; Grafton Public; Heritage List, which includes natural, they are fields of scholarship that unified approach to Closing the Gap Gunnedah Public; Hillvue Public, Indigenous and historic places that have yet to be fully recognised and in education outcomes between Tamworth, Public; Kanwal are of outstanding heritage value to harnessed within the higher education Indigenous and non-Indigenous Public; Kelso Public; Kempsey West the nation. The Act also establishes and research sectors. students has been released. Federal, Public; Koonawarra Public, Dapto; the Commonwealth Heritage List, state and territory governments Lethbridge Park Public; Lightning which comprises natural, Indigenous Indigenous knowledge should be have all committed to the 55 actions Ridge Central; Lismore Heights and historic places on Commonwealth valued, not only for its unique content proposed in the plan which aim to Public; Macksville Public; Manning lands and waters or under Australian and as a field of untapped research accelerate improvements in the Gardens Public; Marayong Public, Government control, and identified in its own right, but also for its ability outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Blacktown; Menindee Central School; by the Minister for the Environment, to complement the mainstream Strait Islander children and young Middleton Public, Parkes; Minimbah Heritage and the Arts as having perspectives of non-Indigenous specific people right around the country, from Independent Primary, Armidale; Mogo Commonwealth Heritage values. research topics. Universities and those in the most remote areas, to Public; Moree East Public; Mount research institutions should recognise, large urban schools. Austin Public, Wagga Wagga; Mount The Australian Heritage Council is support and capitalise on the Druitt Public; Mount Warrigal Public; the Australian Government’s expert significant strengths and knowledge The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Public; Narrabri West Public; advisory body on heritage matters. It that Indigenous people bring to enrich Education Action Plan 2010/14 Narromine Public; Newling Public, includes Indigenous experts, who must the higher education and research reflects commitments by governments Armidale; , be Indigenous people with appropriate sectors. to introduce substantial structural Bomaderry; Nowra East Public; heritage experience or expertise, at and innovative reforms in early Public; Parkview Public Leeton; Port least one of whom represents the IHEAC recommends that the childhood education and schooling Macquarie Public; Ross Hill Public interests of Indigenous people on the Understanding Cultures and as outlined in national agreements School Inverell, Shalvey Public, South Council. Communities Expert Working Group between all governments. A number Grafton; St Andrew’s Cathedral Gawura consider infrastructure needs for of the actions under the action plan Sydney; St Mary’s Primary Catholic,

Building cultural futures 78 Building cultural futures 79 FUNDING BODIES National Non-Government Agencies

Australian governments have a Boorabee itself is derived from the Regional Arts Australia service to its members and the sector range of laws to protect Indigenous Ngoorabul word for , boor-. generally by offering expert advice, heritage, including the EPBC Act, the Regional Arts Australia is the key referrals, resources, professional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tarriwa Kurrukun Indigenous national body representing the broad representation and development, Heritage Protection Act 1984 and Protected Area and complex interests and concerns grant programs and a range of other the Protection of Movable Cultural The Tarriwa Kurrukun Indigenous of those working with and for the arts services. Heritage Act 1986. Protected Area covers 930 hectares in regional, rural and remote Australia. of wetlands and stringy bark forest, As a project initiator and manager, www.visualarts.net.au Managing Indigenous Protected Areas home to an amazing diversity of plants Regional Arts Australia has become an helps Indigenous communities to and animals. Tarriwa Kurrukun means important partner in equipping regional The Arts Law Centre of Australia protect their significant cultural values ‘strong one’ in the Banbai Nation artists, artsworkers and communities for future generations and receive language, the traditional owners. to meet the special needs and The Arts Law Centre of Australia spin-off health, education, economic The Banbai’s ongoing connection challenges that accompany arts (Arts Law) is the national community and social benefits. The Australian to Tarriwa Kurrukun dates back practice, arts promotion and audience legal centre for the arts. Arts Law Government’s Caring for our Country thousands of years. The central development in the regional and rural is a not-for-profit company limited by initiative plans to increase Indigenous ridgelines of the property contain a sectors. The organisation receives no guarantee which was established with Protected Areas by at least 40 per number of scarred trees and isolated public funding for its administration. the support of the Australia Council for cent over the next five years - an artefacts. the Arts in 1983 to provide specialised increase of at least eight million Among its projects and collaborations, legal and business advice and referral hectares. Toogimbie Indigenous Protected Regional Arts Australia and the services, professional development Area National Rural Health Alliance are resources and advocacy for artists and Declared Indigenous Protected Areas Situated north of the Hay Plain, working together to produce a book arts organisations. in NSW Toogimbie includes flat former pasture that highlights stories about arts and lands contrasting with eucalypt-lined health projects from regional Australia. Arts Law provides legal advice and Brewarrina Ngemba Billabong creeks and waterways, and a nearby information on a wide range of arts Indigenous Protected Area floodplain. The traditional life of the www.regionalarts.com.au related legal and business matters Located on the Barwon River, the Nari Nari people revolved around including contracts, copyright, 261 hectare property is part of Toogimbie’s wetlands, which are NAVA business structures, defamation, the Murray-Darling Basin. Four home to totem animals and traditional insurance, employment and taxation to endangered species make their home medicines. The National Association for the Visual artists and arts organisations across at Brewarrina Ngemba Billabong: Arts (NAVA) is the national peak body all art forms. the , the blue-billed duck, the Wattleridge Indigenous Protected for the visual arts, craft and design freckled duck and the red-tailed black Area sector working through advocacy www.artslaw.com.au cockatoo. The property’s emergent Situated about 35 km north-east of and service provision, to achieve wetlands and open woodlands contain the New England township of Guyra, a flourishing Australian visual arts Viscopy such plants as native water lilies, river Wattleridge covers nearly six and a sector and a more vibrant, distinctive red gums and coolibah. half square km of botanically diverse and ethical cultural environment. Viscopy is Australia and New Zealand’s bushland growing on outcropping Since its establishment in 1983, NAVA not-for-profit rights management Boorabee and The Willows granite country. Bounded by the Sara has been extremely successful in organisation for the visual arts Indigenous Protected Area River flowing to the north, the land’s bringing about policy and legislative providing copyright licensing services Boorabee and The Willows cover 2900 rocky ridges and rolling landscape change to encourage the growth and on behalf of their members to a wide hectares, providing a home for one are separated by forested valley flats, development of the sector and to and varied customer base. of Australia’s most iconic species picturesque creeks and tumbling increase professionalism within the - the koala. The traditional owners waterfalls. industry. NAVA undertakes advocacy of Boorabee and The Willows, the and lobbying, research, policy and Ngoorabul people, recognise the koala www.environment.gov.au project development, data collection as a totemic species. The place name and analysis. It also provides direct (continued page 82)

Building cultural futures 80 Building cultural futures 81 FUNDING BODIES Quick grant finder websites

They represent approximately: As a single resource, CAL can provide Community Builders NSW Reconciliation Council copyright clearances for hundreds of • 43 per cent of Australian and thousands of books, articles, essays www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au www.nswreconciliation.org.au/grants New Zealand artists and their and artwork through our licences to beneficiaries copy or through an online permissions Community Builders is an interactive The NSW Reconciliation Council • 40,000 international artists and service Copyright Express. clearing house where users are website is a directory for government beneficiaries in Australian and encouraged to contribute to content and non-government grants aimed New Zealand territories through CAL administers the copying of print and ongoing development. The NSW at supporting Indigenous peoples or reciprocal agreements with 45 material by educational institutions, Government coordinates this site as organisations and people working with visual arts rights management government agencies, corporations, a joint government and community Indigenous peoples. agencies around the world. associations, religious organisations project in partnership with a wide and other organisations. We are range of people involved in community Free Websites Currently Viscopy offers two licensing committed to encouraging the building. Through the Funding and services which generated over $2m for development of lively and diverse Grants section of the site, users are www.sites.google.com artists in 2009/10. markets for published works with able to search for a wide directory our range of commercial and non- of relevant funding grants and offers www.viscopy.org.au commercial copying licences. As advice on how to write a successful the basis of international commerce submission. Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) shifts to ideas and information, CAL continues to look for new solutions Grant Guru Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) that provide both fair payment to provides simple ways for people to copyright owners and community www.community.grantready.com.au reproduce, store and share words, access to information. images and other creative content, in A directory website which lets you return for fair payment. It connects CAL also publishes a range of free search for grants by category, region, the creators, owners and users of information sheets, a free quarterly sector and specialty. copyright material. CAL represents magazine Calendar, and reports authors, journalists, visual artists, about copyright issues. Our corporate GrantsLINK surveyors, photographers and publications are all available online, newspaper, magazine and book as well as associated documents such www.grantslink.gov.au publishers as their non-exclusive agent as the Code of Conduct for Copyright to license the copying of their works to Collecting Societies. GrantsLINK is a useful directory the general community. which has information about federal, www.copyright.com.au state and local government funding CAL provides a legal and practical programs that can help you: method for the public, business and • develop solutions to local and government to copy published works. national problems • fund ideas and initiatives • get assistance in times of hardship.

Building cultural futures 82 Building cultural futures 83 PROTOCOL DOCUMENTS Protocol documents

Cultural protocols, including Heritage and Languages Artform, museums and galleries www.visualarts.net.au/practicaladvice/ Welcome to Country/ default.asp?page=IndigenousArtsProtocol Acknowledgement of Country: Continuous Cultures, Ongoing Cultures: Protocols with working s/IndigenousArtsProtocols Responsibilities by Museums Australia with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Aboriginal cultural practices and protocols contains principles and guidelines Islander Artists (various) (Aboriginal Media Protocols from Aboriginal Affairs: for Australian museums working with and Torres Strait Islander Art Board Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander of the Australia Council, updated in The Greater Perspective, Protocol and www.daa.nsw.gov.au/ cultural heritage from Museums 2008). The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Guidelines for the Production of Film and data/files//Aboriginal%20 Australia: Islander Arts Board of the Australia Television on Aboriginal and Torres Strait CulturalProtocolsandPracticesPolicyFINAL. Council has produced five Indigenous Islander Communities (SBS Television, a pdf www.museumsaustralia.org.au/ protocol guides for working with publication by Lester Bostock): userfiles/file/Policies/ccor_final_ different kinds of arts. The guides NSW Government Policy and Guidelines for feb_05.pdf reflect the complexity of Indigenous www.sbs.com.au Aboriginal Cultural Performance: Australian culture, and provide An introductory guide for heritage information and advice on respecting Indigenous Elder Lester Bostock first www.daa.nsw.gov.au/policies/ managers (such as local councils Indigenous cultural heritage. Very produced this guide in 1990. It has policyreeperformance.html and State Government agencies) well respected guides that give useful since been reprinted and put online. and heritage practitioners to the advice for anyone wanting to work in Although produced to assist people Guidelines developed by the NSW State procedures and sources of information partnership with Indigenous people on working in television and radio it has an Government for agencies to consider when for studying Aboriginal history and projects. Copies are free to download excellent introduction and overview about engaging Aboriginal people in cultural heritage: or can be ordered by email. Indigenous culture and history, as well performances, or when conducting a as how to understand the different ways Welcome to Country or other Aboriginal www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/docs/info_ Go to the Australia Council’s that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people cultural protocol. aboriginal.pdf Aboriginal and Torres Strait communicate, and the key things to be Islander Arts homepage at www. respectful of and sensitive to. Follow the Welcome to Country and FATSIL Guide to Community Protocols australiacouncil.gov.au and search links to the policies section of the SBS Acknowledgement of Country Guidelines for Indigenous Language Projects for ‘Protocols’ or lists of resources/ website for electronic copy. and Protocols for NSW Public Schools 2004: publications. The guides were also and TAFE (NSW Department of Education available from the website of one of Cultural Protocols for Indigenous Reporting and the Aboriginal Education Consultative www.fatsil.org/papers/ the authors - Indigenous lawyer Terri in the Media ( Online, ABC) Group, 2004): FATSILProtocolsguide.pdf Janke, at www.terrijanke.com.au/ publications.html www.abc.net.au/indigenous www.aecg.nsw.edu.au/resources.php This protocols guide, provided by the Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Arts NSW: The ABC’s Indigenous program, Message Welcome to Country and Strait Islander Languages, (FATSIL), is Stick, has produced an Indigenous Acknowledgement of Country Fact Sheet for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander www.arts.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/ Protocol publication for its journalists, (, 2009): communities and their consultants. uploads/2011/03/Arts-NSW- as well filmmakers, producers and ABORIGINAL-PROTOCOLS- documentary makers to understand and www.reconciliation.org.au www.fatsilc.org.au/languages/fatsilc- DESIGN_140311.pdf apply Indigenous Protocols, particularly protocols-guide/background-to-the- when reporting stories involving Indigenous (follow the links to ‘Resources’ and then arts-law/protocols-guide Museums & Galleries NSW: people. In 2011 a copy was also available ‘Facts and Figures’) to download from: This Fact Sheet includes sections on the www.mgnsw.org.au/uploaded/ difference between a Welcome and an resources/Fact%20Sheets/ www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/tk/ Acknowledgement of Country. Also check Cultural%20Protocols/M&G%20 en/folklore/creative_heritage/docs/abc_ out the other useful resources on this NSW%20Welcome%20to%20 cultural_protocol.pdf website, including the info about ‘How Country%20Guidelines%202008.pdf does a Welcome to or Acknowledgement of Country help address Aboriginal or Torres A collection of Culture Protocols Strait Islander disadvantage?’ NAVA (National Association for the Visual Arts) Indigenous Visual Arts Protocols:

Building cultural futures 84 Building cultural futures 85 PROTOCOL DOCUMENTS

Pathways & Protocols: a filmmaker’s Dubbo Koori Interagency Network: intending to conduct research about guide to working with Indigenous Indigenous Australia or involving people, culture and concepts (Terry www.dubbokin.com.au/cultural_ Indigenous communities. The AIATSIS Janke for Screen Australia, 2009) protocol.html website also includes a range of other useful publications about Indigenous www.screenaustralia.gov.au/about_ Wetlands link, protocols for working Australia, some of which are free. us/pub_indig_protocols.aspx with Aboriginal people in the Northern Rivers: Legal This guide provides advice about NSW Community Legal Centres: the ethical and legal issues involved www.wetlandlink.com.au/content/ in transferring Indigenous cultural developing-protocols-for-engaging- www.clcnsw.org.au/public_resource_ material to the screen. It is long and aboriginal-people-in-nrm-planning-in-the- details.php?resource_id=166 includes a lot of detail, but is written northern-rivers-region in a straightforward way with a focus Indigenous Portal – Federal on the practical issues. Better for film- Local Government & Shires Government makers, researchers and policy makers Association: than high school students. www.indigenous.gov.au/ip.dll/SearchR www.lgsa-plus.net/publicart/ esults?s%3D1772&dsc=1&num=10 Listen, learn and respect: Indigenous section_01/001_content_04.swf cultural protocols and radio (Terry Arts Law Centre of Australia: Janke and Nancia Guivarra for the Education and research Australian Television and Radio School, www.artslaw.com.au/articles/entry/ 2006): NSW Department of Education & indigenous-protocols/ Training: www.aftrs.edu.au/media/144152/ The Black Book Online listenlearn_aftrs_.pdf www.stgeorged.det.nsw.edu.au/ The Black Book Directory lists support/abedequity/welcome/work_ more than 2700 Indigenous people SBSi Indigenous Documentary aborig_comm.pdf and organisations working in the Protocol: arts, media and cultural industries. NSW Board of Studies: Search listings by state, Indigenous www.sbs.com.au/sbsi/documentary. nation or language group, name and html?type=6 www.ab-ed.boardofstudies.nsw.edu. category. A list of 2000 Indigenous au/files/working-with-aboriginal- works of music, literature and screen Community communities.pdf productions can be sourced through Working With Aboriginal Communities: the Black Book Library on this site. A guide to community consultation and A guide produced by the NSW Board of Those registered can edit their own protocols (Board of Studies NSW) Studies about community consultation entries. There is also a contributor’s and protocols, aimed at teachers but What’s On calendar. City of Sydney: includes good explanations about why consultation with Aboriginal people is www.theblackbook.com.au www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov. important, outlines of sensitive issues au/Community/documents/ to be aware of when working with AboriginalAndTorresStraightIslanders/ Aboriginal people for anyone working ATSIProtocol.pdf with Aboriginal communities, and practical tips for building successful Respect, Acknowledge, Listen: relationships with Aboriginal groups. Practical protocols for working with Guidelines for Ethical Research in the Indigenous Community of Western Indigenous Studies (The Australian Sydney Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait www.ccdnsw.org/ccdnsw/pdf/ Islander Studies, updated in 2010) protocols.pdf www.sectorconnect.org.au/assets/ www.aiatsis.gov.au/research/docs/ pdf/resources/macunity/Aboriginal_ ethics.pdf protocols.pdf These guidelines have been compiled by AIATSIS and are mandatory reading for people applying for research grants, but are useful for anyone

Building cultural futures 86 Building cultural futures 87 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Acknowledgements

Researchers: Melissa Abraham, Thank you also for further advice Alison McLeod, Kirsty Brown, Steve and support from: Cindy Berwick Miller and Raymond Ingrey, AECG; Keith Editing: Kirsty Brown, Steve Miller Munro, Museum of Contemporary Cover art and logo concept: Steve Art; Hetti Perkins, Cara Pinchback Miller and Jonathan Jones, AGNSW; Design and layout: Andrew Brettell Melodie Gibson, City of Sydney; Tess Allas, College of Fine Arts; Euphemia For Museums & Galleries NSW: (Phemie) Bostock, Boomalli Michael Rolfe, CEO; Michael Huxley, Aboriginal Artists Cooperative; General Manager; Sarah-Jane Rennie, James Wilson-Miller, Powerhouse Sector Development Manager; Museum; Zona Wilkinson, Penrith Phoebe Arthur, Sector Development Regional Gallery; Djon Mundine; Co ordinator; Rachel Arndt, Touring Susan Charlton, State Records Exhibitions Services Manager; Lillian Authority NSW; Kirsten Thorpe, Lim, Touring Exhibition Services ATSIDA (UTS). Coordinator; Elizabeth Swinburn and Jasmin Dressman, Administration. Printed by: Impress Colour Building Cultural Futures Steering 2/79 Newton Road Committee: Liza-Marie Syron, Wetherill Park, 2164 Arts NSW; Peter White, Regional [email protected] Arts NSW; Charles Trindall, Office of Aboriginal Affairs NSW; Clare ABOUT M&G NSW McHugh, NSWALC; Constance Chatfield, LGSA; Bernadette Selfe, Museums & Galleries NSW (M&G NSW Department of Trade and NSW) is the leading agency to Investment, Regional Infrastructure develop, support and promote and Services; Shian Barker, Arts Law regional, community and public Centre of Australia; Laura McBride museums and galleries across (alt Sheryl Connors/Phil Gordon) NSW. Our focus is on increasing Australian Museum; Barrina South community participation and (alt Teresa Gay/Hilton Naden) Office engagement with NSW museums and of Heritage and the Environment/ galleries to create lifelong learning, DECCW; Ronald Briggs, State Library improved environments and build of NSW; Alison Page, Saltwater harmonious communities. Freshwater Arts Alliance. Museums & Galleries NSW is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW and by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Keeping Places and Beyond 88 Keeping Places and Beyond 89