Transcript Slide 1

Friendship between the
Ngarinyin Community
and the
Zonta Club of Perth
Acknowledgement
To the
Wurundjeri People
of the
Kulin Nations,
who are the
traditional owners of the land
on which this
convention takes place.
The problem…here and now
Weekend Australian June 24-25
Generations of kids in one family abused
Imre Salusinszky
Patricia Karvelas
Perpetrators of sexual assault in Aboriginal communities
have frequently abused at least three generations of
children in one extended family, a new report has found.
Everything in the bush must
change - Editorial
The days when indigenous
Australians in remote communities
are left to rot by the state must end
forever…
Death rate of WA infants by
location – 1980-2001
Non Aboriginal
Aboriginal
Remote
Rural
Metro
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Death rate per 1000 births
18
20
22
24
The problem…here and now
Weekend Australian June 24-25
Emergency surgery
Lara Wieland, Richard Heazlewood, Clive
Hadfield, Peter Thorn
First, we must stress that many of the
populations we are talking about are like a
beaten dog: bruised, suppressed, neglected
and subdued. Within these communities are
strong people trying to do the right thing, but
they are struggling with weekly funerals,
traumas and large numbers of children, theirs
and others they are trying to care for in a
dysfunctional, traumatic and neglected
environment.
Could our club help by teaming up
with strong women from the
communities?
Women are a potent force …
Women Sitting: (Jukurrpa Artists)
Women seen… as integrated energy fields composed of
same energies as the world around them.. (Jenks 2004).
Aim
Zonta Club of Perth
to form a
lasting friendship
with women
from the
Ngarinyin community
in the Kimberley region
of Western Australia
The
Kimberley
Perth
How are our energy
fields combining?
Overview
•
The partners: Ngarinyin & Zonta
•
Making the connection
•
The ‘White Angel’ and beyond
•
The next steps
Who are the Ngarinyin people?
• Custodians of oldest
figurative art in NW
Australia (Gwion Gwion)
• Wandjina spiritual
sanctuary
– 200,000 sq km
– Continuous culture
60,000 years
– 3 tribes
• Ngarinyin
• Wunambal
• Worrorra
Wandjina is a philosophy &
spirituality…invoking intense energy
Ngarinyin traditions
• Traditional law handed
down by Wandjina
• Symbols in landscape
and energy patterns
– In the land there is power
– Paintings give people
energy
• Land is about sharing
and relationships
Aboriginals are ‘pattern
thinkers’ – no ownership
exists, only ‘belonging’
Non Aboriginals are ‘triangle
thinkers’ – bosses with power
over others down triangle
Ngarinyin in the news…
• Forced off tribal lands
in 1950s
– Returning in 1990’s
• Proud of their culture
– Established Bush
University 1997
– 2000 Olympics,
Wandjina symbol at
opening ceremony
Recent books have highlighted
Ngarinyin art and culture
What is Zonta International?
• Worldwide service
organisation
– 34,000 members
– Business and
professions
• Advancing status of
women worldwide
• Links to UN
Many projects undertaken
overseas and locally
Bosnia
The Zonta Club of Perth Inc
• Zonta Club of
Perth
– Founded in 1971
– Supports women
• Projects
• Awards
• Most members
– Advantaged
Australians
– Metro area
Few members had met
indigenous women
or had opportunity
to make friends with them
Overview
•
The partners: Ngarinyin & Zonta
•
Making the connection
•
The ‘White Angel’ and beyond
•
The next steps
Making a connection
• Kathy Charlesworth
– An identity in the Kimberley
– Friend to the Ngarinyin people
– Actively working to support them
since 1993
• Sciona Browne
– Entrepreneur
– Zonta member
• Two met at an Expo and
discussed opportunities for
cultures to get to know each
other and help each other as
friends
Ngarinyin social structure
• 2002-3
– Social order disrupted by
Pansy,
Ngarinyin
• Alcohol abuse
• Marijuana use
– Traditional power base shifted
• Senior law women emerged in
major decision making roles
• Sciona, Kathy, Pansy
(Ngarinyin elder) discussed
– Collaborative projects
– Improve conditions for children
and grandchildren
Kathy, go
between
Sciona,
Zontian
Zonta Visit to Kimberley
• June 2004 visit
– Zonta members (11)
– Travelled to
• Kupungarri
• Ngallagunda
– Shared stories
– Listened
– Learned
Women helping women
Zonta visit to the Kimberley
Ngallagunda
400kms
Kupungarri
• Travelled along Gibb River Road (unsealed)
– Through many river crossings
• Established bush camp at Kupungarri then Ngallagunda
Zonta members set off
on 400 Km journey from
Kununurra to
Kupungarri
Introductions
Smoking
ceremonies
Learning about
bush tucker
Learning about the
Wandjina through
the local art
Learning about local
cultures:
• face painting
• clapping sticks
• Discussing business
opportunities
– Licenses and royalty
fees to use art and
words on products
• Listening and caring
Two families of women had
come together…and were
connected
Overview
•
The partners: Ngarinyin & Zonta
•
Making the connection
•
The ‘White Angel’ and beyond
•
The next steps
The White Angel and beyond
• Yvonne Burgu identifies problem
for Ngallagunda community
– 70 people
• Approaching monsoon rains
– Local store closed - nearest store
two hours away through rivers
– No four wheel drive
– No way to collect bush tucker
– No way to access sacred sites for
‘law business’
• Choice: move to Derby or starve
• Previous years
– Community moved to Derby
(400kms away)
– Drugs and alcohol
– Wrecked families
The White Angel and beyond
• Kathy and Yvonne
came up with
solution
• Paint canvasses
to sell so can buy
four wheel drive
Ask Zonta friends to help
The Art Exhibition
Newspaper coverage
The Launch
The Social Side
Smoking ceremony
Yvonne brought special ‘Guru’ Cypress wood
from the Kimberley for the smoking ceremony
The White Angel
• Finances sorted
• Car extras added
– Snorkel for river crossing
– Cover for back to keep out
dust
– Kangaroo bar on front
The Journey Home
White Angel loaded with food, clothes and household items
The Impact of the White Angel
Ngallagunda and Kupungarri communities stayed on their
lands during the wet season for first time in years…
• Traditional ceremonies at
sacred sites
• Rock art paintings maintained
• Hunting for traditional foods
– green plum
• Improved health
– White Angel back up for
community nurse
• Families connected and
together
The Impact of the White Angel
Yvonne and Kathy’s
courage inspired those
around them
– Every cent they owned
went on driving to Perth
and buying materials
• Yvonne blossomed
– Leader
– Artist
Reflections…
• Yvonne noted:
– Working with Zonta mob
was the first time she
hadn’t been ‘bossed
over’ by Gardia (white
fellas).
“I am free now, to really
help my people”
Overview
•
The partners: Ngarinyin & Zonta
•
Making the connection
•
The ‘White Angel’ and beyond
•
The next steps
The Next Steps - mentoring
• Mentorship programs
– Indigenous university
students
• Collaboration between
– Universities
– Residential Colleges
– Federation of University
Women
The Next Steps - visits
• Ngarinyin women to visit
Perth
– Zonta law and culture
• Zonta women return to
Ngarinyin country
The Next Steps - health
• Ngarinyin communities
riddled with
– Diabetes
– Heart disease
– Kidney disease
• Help friends to improve
health and welfare
– Child health
– Food and nutrition
Walk the talk
The End Result
Ngarinyin women provide inspiration
to the Zonta members by
sharing their art, care for their communities,
culture and connectedness with their land.
Zonta members are friends that can
help with paperwork, health issues, mentor
students, source clothes and
advocate on the Ngarinyin women’s behalf
The energy fields have connected….
The groups now meet as sisters and
help each other as friends.
Wonderful things happen when women get together
to help women ...
Joan Kirner,
former Premier of Victoria
www.zontaperth.org.au