YIRRALKASUPPORTING RANGERS COMMUNITIES

CSIRO RESEARCHER MARCUS BARBER HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE The Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management (ICNRM) sector is WIDER COMMUNITY BENEFITS OF THE YIRRALKA RANGER PROGRAM continuing to grow rapidly in . The IN , NORTH EAST . Yirralka Rangers deliver essential services to their community by managing and protecting environmental and cultural values on their Travel about 1000 kilometres in an easterly homeland. These programs have been mostly direction by road from Darwin and you’ll supported for their environmental outcomes, fi nd the homeland community , however, the ranger program brings multiple situated in Blue Mud Bay, in north east benefi ts such as improved health and well-being Arnhem Land. The extremely remote homeland which will be of interest to policy makers. was established in the early 1970s as the home The full extent of the wider social, of the Madarrpa clan of the people. As cultural, and economic benefi ts to the local well as a school and shop, the community also community of rangers living in their homelands has a ranger station, which is the base for the has not been assessed, until now. For the 10 Indigenous rangers employed by the Yirralka past three years CSIRO researchers, funded Ranger program. On any given day, you might under the Australian Government’s National fi nd a group of women rangers grinding leaves Environmental Research Program have from native trees to make bush soap while at been working with the Yirralka Rangers, the same time a group of men is keeping a close in an effort to understand the wider benefi ts eye on the coast, looking out for illegal fi shing of their activities. The results of the research activity. Though distinctively different activities, are found in a report called ‘Rangers in these groups not only share a uniform, but Place’, as well as in a community-generated a goal: looking after their country. documentary called ‘Let’s care for this country’.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Dr Marcus Barber — [email protected] www.nerpnorthern.edu.au/research/projects/21 MARCUS BARBER | YIRRALKA RANGERS

Previous page: Rangers on Origins of the rangers stability. Although signifi cant, increased income sea patrol and removing The Yirralka Rangers were established in 2003 came second to the primary goal of caring for ghost nets. Photos country as the key benefi t of the program for throughout Marcus Barber as one of a series of initiatives developed by and Ishmael Marika. Blue Mud Bay communities (particularly those interviewed. Baniyala) to better protect their country, “When I got that job, my family was proud. especially against commercial fi shing activities. The money was second. They were really happy A second initiative was a court case, which in someone was looking after Gurkawuy,” said 2008 saw Blue Mud Bay Traditional Owners one Yirralka-based Ranger. awarded formal High Court recognition of “They [the rangers] are doing it for the their rights to the intertidal zone. This set a future. Because those young ones who are precedent for Indigenous coastal land across coming, they will learn about this country, the entire . One Baniyala they will learn about the sea and the patterns resident and Traditional Owner explained and the designs, all the stories, it is all written how the struggle for coastal rights and coastal here. I think it is really important — we are management responsibilities are intertwined. doing it for the future,” said a homeland “[The court case] was launched here community elder. because of the fi shermen going in to kill all the Psychological benefi ts, such as increased totems for Yolngu people, or to enter the sacred confi dence and pride, also took precedence areas without knowing or without permission. over physical ones. That is why we need to protect the country “Being a ranger, working as a ranger with this [ranger] program. It is coming from has been very enjoyable, I enjoy it very much, the sea rights, following on from that.” being a ranger, I suppose, you are feeling you The Yirralka Rangers now have over are giving something back to the community, to 50 staff living in 17 homeland communities, the people of this country,” said one homeland- of which Baniyala is just one. Collectively, these based Yirralka Ranger. rangers manage the 17,000 square kilometres of the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area Keeping culture alive (IPA). Caring for the landscape and its people The Yirralka Ranger program is largely is an enormous and admirable task. The compatible with Indigenous cultural principles activities are diverse: coastal and sea country of landscape management and protection. patrols, removing ghost nets, biodiversity This includes the ability for rangers to acquire monitoring, weed management and fostering and share important cultural and customary intergenerational knowledge transfer are all knowledge. One homeland-based Yirralka among the key goals. Ranger explained that the program is essential to ensuring cultural continuity. The community’s experience “That is the most important — the ranger Previous work has already pointed to a number program as a structure for learning, for passing of signifi cant benefi ts associated with ICNRM, on the cultural values.” including: improved physical and mental health The program also reinforces key social outcomes; social benefi ts such as improved and community principles by distinguishing family structures; the mitigation of racism; and both gender roles and aged-based ones, thereby economic and livelihood benefi ts. While these refl ecting existing cultural conventions. At its benefi ts are clearly identifi able through existing inception, the program was staffed by male studies, the evidence remains small, and is rangers, but the role of female rangers has classifi ed in different ways by different studies. grown considerably since then. To build a better picture of the wider outcomes “In terms of the men and women, produced by ranger activities, the researchers some of the projects are together, some are interviewed not only ranger staff, but their separate. It is good to have both. They worked families and wider-community residents. together doing lots of work around the ranger From the outset, there were a number of station — the women doing the nursery and obvious benefi ts including; physical health from cleaning up, the men doing other jobs like increased exercise, as well as economic benefi ts cutting the lawn,” said one homeland-based such as additional income and employment Yirralka Ranger. SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES

Living in the homeland Governance and cooperation Female Yirralka Rangers Many of the rangers work in the homelands Contemporary Yolngu political life refl ects making soap at Baniyala where they are also Traditional Owners. both local autonomy and regional cooperation. ranger station. Community elders say that to be truly settled A ranger steering committee provides in one place, you also need to work there. opportunities for locals to gain experience This allows rangers to not only look after in governance, planning and strategic decision their home, but to fulfi l ongoing cultural making, while governance by elders in homeland obligations and foster relationships with family. communities refl ects local independence. The “I have a purpose to stay here. My family is benefi ts of improved confi dence and pride, here, I have a good job, a good environment,” as well as the origins of the program, help said one homeland-based Yirralka Ranger. cement local feelings of independence. “When you are living in the big townships, “Whoever — people, community, leaders there are a lot of negative things happening, — they see and support it [the program]. and personally I prefer living here in the Wherever the rangers come up with ideas, the homeland. Living in the homeland gives us facilitators help us. They help us, but we built more freedom, and a healthy country is a it,” said one homeland-based Yirralka Ranger. healthy life,” said another homeland-based Yirralka Ranger. Future implications A key aspect of the benefi ts the ranger It’s clear the benefi ts derived from the Yirralka program brings comes from this local residence. Rangers, though often interconnected, are Formal education and training, opportunities far-reaching. Maintaining and improving to travel, and future employment opportunities these benefi ts will help the rangers to continue also broaden social skills, including the ability their valuable work and keep their communities to interact cross-culturally. happy and healthy. A full understanding of the “We need to know how to work with people values of Indigenous ranger programs can also who are not respecting the Yolngu law. We have help governments to better design policy and to look at visitors, what they need, what kind make smarter investments in Indigenous of people they are,” said a former Head Ranger. communities in future.

A day in the life of Yirralka Rangers and their love for the job is highlighted in a new documentary, ‘Let’s care for this country’. The fi lm is co-directed and co-written by the Yirralka Rangers and the Blue Mud Bay community of Baniyala and is intended for a wider audience. It highlights the importance of the ranger program to the community, the diversity of Ranger roles, participation in traditional Yolngu practices, and the beauty of the country they live and work in. The fi lm is free from https://vimeo.com/133308877