Culture Preserved in Ceremony

Fortnightly news in brief from Jabiru, Warruwi, Minjilang, Maningrida and Gunbalanya Edition 311 10 - 23 April 2014 [email protected] 08 8979 9465 Published by West Arnhem Regional Council Natasha Nadji, the granddaughter of ‘Big’ Bill Neidjie, the Indigenous elder credited with the creation of Kakadu National Park, hands a film of his funeral rites to AIATSIS for safe keeping in an historical ceremony at Reconciliation Place, Canberra, on Tuesday, March 25. (L to R) Senator Scott Ryan, Mick Dodson, Senator for the Northern Territory Nova Peris, Justin Cooper, Ronald Lamilami, Natasha Nadji and Solomon Cooper. PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW BABINGTON, AIATSIS. CULTURE PRESERVED IN CEREMONY THE traditional ways of the Kakadu surviving speaker of the Gagudju language Ms Nadji was emotional when speaking to traditional owners were on display in from the northern part of Kakadu. ABC reporters after the ceremony. Canberra last month in a sacred ceremony His life was dedicated to the preservation “I would have loved for all of my family to be that marked the 50th anniversary of the and communication of Indigenous cultural here, because we’re so proud of what he’s Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres practices. done for us in the past and planned for our Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). future,” she said. The sacred Lorrkkon Indigenous ceremony “We’re handing on “Without him doing this we wouldn’t be was held outside its home region of Kakadu able to continue on with a lot of things like for the first time. life ... to continue the at home. So I was trying not to cry... I was A large crowd turned out to watch the event greatness of this man.” so proud. I was only a teenager when we at Reconciliation Place in Canberra. The first started this and we lost my grandfather.” Lorrkkon ceremony is part of an extended - Professor Mick Dodson AIATSIS Chair, Professor Mick Dodson, said funerary rite which belongs to the Kakadu it was a great honour to host the ceremony. (Bunitj) community. Prior to his death, Neidjie broke from tradition and asked for his funeral rite to be “We’re handing on life, really, to continue The dusk ceremony honoured ‘Big’ Bill filmed. the greatness of this man,” he said. Neidjie, the Indigenous elder who is credited with the creation of Kakadu National Park. The vision of the ceremony was shown for Yolngu ceremonial elder, dancer and the first time as part of the event in Canberra. composer, Djakapurra Munyarryun, also led Big Bill allowed his traditional Bunitj lands in 30 traditional dancers in an enactment of Kakadu to be leased by the Commonwealth, Neidjie’s granddaughter, Natasha Nadji, the funeral rites and bone ceremony before paving the way for the creation of the symbolically handed over the original film the crowd. national park. of Bill Neidjie’s funeral rites during the performance. The film will be be stored at Neidjie, who died in 2002, was the last AIATSIS in Canberra. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 >> 2 West Arnhem Wire - Fortnightly news in brief from Jabiru, Gunbalanya, Maningrida, Warruwi and Minjilang WHAT’S ON OUT AND ABOUT If you have an upcoming event you want listed in this space please contact Mark Coddington on 0459 060 370 or [email protected] ANZAC Day will be commemorated in Jabiru with a Dawn Service and free community breakfast at Jabiru Town Plaza from 5.45am Friday 25 April and in Maningrida with a 6am Dawn Service at the barge landing followed by breakfast. APRIL Thursdays Swimming pool opens early, Alberto Luglietti Memorial Pool, Civic Drive Jabiru, 6am-11am Thu 10 Smile-A-Mile Fun Bus & Toy Library, Lakeside Park Jabiru, 10am - midday Fri 11 School Holiday Program: Basketball clinic and Senior Tenancy Management Officer Donna Summerell (centre) receives a going-away cake and best wishes from tournament, 9am Sophia Nawirridj, Jennifer Garnarradj, Agnes Nalunjdjuk and (rear) Andy Garnarradj, Nathan McIvor, Patrick Saturdays Aoife’s Swim School, infants, toddlers, school Lamilami, Trina Francisco, Denzel Anderson, Barbara Newland, Hank Cooper and Troy Lovett at the West Arnhem age, bookings 0450 495 687 Regional Council office in Gunbalanya. Donna is going on to work at West Arnhem College, Gunbalanya. Sat 12-Sun 13 Go Hire Golf Open, Humpty Doo Golf Club Mon 14 Back to school LUCKY ESCAPE FROM PLANE CRASH Mondays Morning Fitness Class, Jabiru School MPA, THE two women occupants of a small plane 5.45–6.30am 0413 856 320 were left injured but alive after they crashed Mondays Swimming pool opens early, Alberto Luglietti in a remote area of the western side of the Memorial Pool, Civic Drive Jabiru, 6am-11am Gulf of Carpenteria near Numbulwar. Mondays Aoife’s Swim School, infants, toddlers, school age, bookings 0450 495 687 The pilot of the Cessna put out a mayday Mondays Women’s Self-Defence Classes, Jabiru Community radio call and activated a distress beacon Hall, 5.30-7pm on Friday 28 March when the engine failed Tuesdays Jabiru Art & Craft Group, Kakadu Youth Centre, as she set out to fly from Numbulwar to cnr Gregory Place & Leichardt Street 7.30-9.30pm Katherine. Tuesdays Jabiru Playgroup, Jabiru Courthouse 9.30-11am the crash. Paramedics and a rescue team A wing of the aircraft was torn off as the walked through the bush to reach the two Tue 15 Northern Land Council meeting: Alligator Energy pilot put down in a small clearing. and start treatment. Work Program, Sport & Social Club Gunbalanya 10am 8938 3000 The pilot and her woman passenger The helicopter flew the injured women 150 scrambled clear of the wreckage just before Morning Fitness Class, Jabiru School MPA, km to the airstrip at Groote Eylandt where the Wednesdays it burst into flames. 5.45–6.30am 0413 856 320 CareFlight doctor and nurse were waiting. Wed 16 Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation community The Australian Maritime Safety Authority in The CareFlight medical team treated the meeting: financial assistance payments, Kakadu Aurora Canberra organised a search and rescue pilot for leg fractures and the passenger for Lodge, 11am mission, calling out local resources in the more serious chest and back injuries. Wednesdays Clontarf Community Circuit Training, Jabiru Western Gulf region. Area School MPA, 3.30pm The two were flown back to Darwin by The search and rescue helicopter based Wednesdays Women’s Self-Defence Classes, Jabiru CareFlight where they remained in a stable at RAAF Tindal located the wreckage with Community Hall, 5.30-7pm condition on landing at the airport just the two women waving to them, about 50 Fridays Morning Fitness Class, Jabiru School MPA, before 7.30pm, then continued treatment as 5.45–6.30am 0413 856 3206 km west of Numbuwar, then landed in the they were taken in a St John Ambulance to only possible location some distance from Fri 18 Easter - Good Friday public holiday Royal Darwin Hospital. Fri 18 Basketball Challenge, Darwin Sun 20 Easter Sunday THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN Mon 21 Easter Monday public holiday Fri 25 ANZAC Day commemoration event, Jabiru Town Thumbs Up to Starlight Foundation Thumbs Down to drivers running Plaza, from 5.45am followed by breakfast for their visit to Warruwi kids. over wildlife on our roads. Fri 25 ANZAC Day commemoration event, Maningrida barge landing, from 6am followed by breakfast Thumbs Up to participants at the Thumbs down to mugs who steal Heart Foundation Champions a towball from a hardworking Fri 25 ANZAC Day Ambrose, Jabiru Golf Club Forum in Darwin. member of our community. Sat 26 Tim Rogers, Railway Club, Darwin Send your ‘thumbs’ to: [email protected] The West Arnhem Wire | 10 - 23 April 2014 West Arnhem Wire - Fortnightly news in brief from Jabiru, Gunbalanya, Maningrida, Warruwi and Minjilang 3 NOMINATE NOW FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES THE West Arnhem Regional Council is “We are hoping to see these people continuing to spread the word about the migrate to the new Local Authorities, new Local Authorities, which come into so they can continue to have a say in being on 1 July this year. setting priorities for their communities,” Ms Newland said. The Local Authorities will give local people in Maningrida, Minjilang, Warruwi and While canvassing residents in Gunbalanya a direct say in how council Maningrida on Thursday, 10 April, services are provided and funds are spent Ms Newland heard from locals that in their communities. the 14 members of the Maningrida Local Reference Group had done a WARC Governance Projects Manager consistently good job in representing Barbara Newland is currently spending their community’s clan and language time in these communities to provide groups. information about Local Authorities, which replace Local Boards. “It would be a natural fit for these members to now nominate for Local Speaking in Gunbalanya on Thursday 3 Authorities, as they already have April, Ms Newland said anyone interested fantastic experience in governance,” in nominating could obtain a form from West Arnhem Regional Council Executive Officer Barbara Newland Ms Newland said. their local council office. providing information on Local Authorities to Isaiah Nagurrgurrba at “Of course the nomination process is “Council staff can help you fill out the the Injalak Arts centre in Gunbalanya. open to all residents in Maningrida, application,” she said. their community,” Mr Nagurrgurrba said. “This Minjilang, Warruwi and Gunbalanya and is for the future of our kids, too.” Co-manager of Injalak Arts and local tour we would like to see a broad cross-section of guide Isaiah Nagurrgurrba from Gunbalanya Ms Newland encouraged people currently people apply.” said he welcomed the fact that the new Local on Local Boards and Local Reference Nomination forms can also be downloaded Authority in Gunbalanya would have a direct Groups in Minjilang, Warruwi, Gunbalanya from the Public Notices section of the say in how the Council budget was spent in and Maningrida to nominate for the Local council website at westarnhem.nt.gov.au/ the community.

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