Koorie Education
& Engagement
National Reconciliation Week
EMC NT KOORIE CAMP
Written by Jenaya Bartlett
On Friday the 28th of July, Elisabeth Murdoch Collage Koorie students attended the Darwin camp. After a disaster with our flights and an unexpected stopover in Sydney, we finally arrived in Darwin we headed out to our accommodation with AFL NT at TIO stadium. We then made our way to the local museum and botanical gardens. When we arrived back at the AFL NT Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre, we went for a tour of the inside of the TIO stadium facilities, which was also connected to the AFLNT. We were all gifted footballs.
On Saturday the 29th of July, we arrived at the crocodile jumping cruise on the Adelaide River, where we were given free tickets as the board of the business are Traditional Owners of Groote Eylandt, and they wanted to support our camp. We headed off to the Blak marketplace as part of Garrmalang Festival, where they were unfortunately closed. We were spotted by some Indigeous ladies, that noticed our Koorie camp t-shirts and asked who we where and what we were doing up in Darwin. One of them was named was aunty Wendy, and we later found out it was Dr Wendy Ludwig, Creative Director of the festival. She organised tickets for us to a concert as part of the festival. The concert was with Indigenous musicians Shellie Morris and Stephen Pigram performing. Shellie brought out some other Aboriginal musicians to join her too.
On Sunday the 30th of July, we explored Berry Springs. Berry Springs is a popular natural pool. At night made our way to Mindil markets where we sat on the beach and watched the famous Mindil beach sunset.
On Monday the 31st we explored Litchfield National Park, where we went for some amazing hikes. Each day on camp, we researched the local Traditional Owners, and each student took a turn to Acknowledge the Country we were visiting. At Litchfield, it was really hot so it was refreshing jumping into all the beautiful waterfalls including Florence Falls, Wangi Falls and Buley rockhole.
On Tuesday the 1st of August headed out to Kakadu on a tour. We did the Guluyambi Cruise down East Alligator River, and our guide was Tyrone who lived in Oenpelli and is a Bininj Traditional Owner. Tyrone said he hadn’t seen a dollar coin until he was 8, so the Koorie students were super interested to ask about his childhood. He shared lots about his area, we saw tons of crocs plus a sea eagle. He explained all the traditional methods of using the local flora and fauna, then we got to get out on West Arnhem Land which is Aboriginal land given back to Aboriginals, and we got an awesome view of Kakadu. His uncle showed us how they made spears and throw them. We also got to see rock art at Ubirr, which had a big impact on us Koorie students as we related it to our Country, and what the art depicting first contact meant.
On Wednesday the 2nd of August we explored East Point and walked along the beachline, we found some rock clay and made our own ochre and spent hours making our own rock art.
On Thursday the 3rd of August was our biggest day. Steph one of the staff who came along, had some connections through her family and knew a friend who works in Tiwi Islands at the Training and Employment Board and got to meet some locals through him who were studying Community Services. They were our hosts for the day. We checked out Bima Clothing, Tiwi Designs, the local museum and churches, and new and old cemetery. We also saw the new fish trap at high tide then went to TITEB where the adult learners shared their creation stories they had written in language where they read to us in language and then translated. Then the tide went out and they bundled us down there in a troopy, where we helped collect the fish for the town. They cooked some on a fire on the beach for us, and possum! Then they gifted us with ceremonial headbands for the girls and arm bands for the boys, and painted mud mussel shells. We shared our Waa badges with them. It was special knowing the fact that we now have connections with some locals from Tiwi islands and they were so grateful for us coming and visiting them and listening to their stories. This would have to be one of the most memorable days in a lifetime. When than made our way back to Darwin where we went to the opening of the Darwin festival where Richard Fejo gave a Welcome to Country and we saw Yolngu dancers recreate their lands and dances on stage, with sand on the stage and the digeridoo and clap sticks being backed up by the Darwin Symphony Orchestra.
On our last day, Friday the 4th of August we met up with the NT’s Department of Education, and their ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ program. There were 20 students all together between us EMC students and students all across from different schools in Darwin who we were lucky enough to spend the whole day with. We got to spend time with Eric Fejo, who spoke about staying grounded when stepping up in leadership. Eric shared traditional methods of harvesting Hibiscus to make rope. The students got to cut down the branches, strip them, turn them into string that they plaited, then Eric showed us how to collect white ochre from the cliffs of Casuarina Beach than to paint our ropes and make wrist bands and headbands. He also invited Indigenous Liaison Officers from the Army and Navy, and a fossil expert from the museum. Then the tide went out and Old Man Rock was visible, so Eric took us down and blessed us all with a Larrakia water blessing. Eric was so staunch and couldn’t be more passionate about encouraging us kids to pursue greatness. We then got to go to the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, and saw so much art from Central and Northern NT, top end WA, Torres Strait and Tiwi Islands.
During all of this, we had great chats about racism, stereotypes, family dynamics, leadership, pride, rock art, culture in the Top End and how strong local NT mob were in their culture, raising the age of criminal responsibility, Dondale Youth Prison, Aboriginal music, the burden of leadership but also the opportunities of being a young Aboriginal leader.
On behalf of all the Koorie students Jenaya, Marley, Alex, Connor, Dean, Myall and Liam we are all so grateful for every opportunity we had been given, and so thankful for the support to make this camp happen.