June 8-10 30th anniversary Barunga Statement
In 1988, the Jawoyn community in Barunga, Northern Territory, invited people from across Australia and the world to their annual Barunga Sport and Cultural Festival. Former Prime Minister the Hon. Bob Hawke along with Galarrwuy Yunupingu AM and Wenten Rubuntja AM, chairs of the Northern and Central Land Councils, accepted their invitation.
At the festival, Yunupingu and Rubuntja presented Hawke with The Barunga Statement, a painted declaration that included the aspirations of ‘the Indigenous owners and occupiers of Australia’ and a request to the Australian Government and people to ‘recognise our rights’. The Statement was a product of extensive engagement between Aboriginal leaders in the Northern Territory and the Australian Government.
The dot-style painting of Central Australia and the cross-hatching paintings of Northeast Arnhem Land show that Aboriginal people of different countries, speaking different languages, can unite in the same struggle.
Galarrwuy Yunupingu, excerpted from his essay ‘Indigenous Art in the Olympic Age’ published in Art and Australia, vol. 35, no. 1, 1997
The event
An iconic event on the national festival calendar, Barunga Festival boasts a long and proud tradition of celebrating the best of remote Indigenous Australia. This much-loved Territory festival attracts a 4000-strong audience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from all over the world who descend upon the small remote community to camp and take part in a program of music, sport, traditional arts and cultural activities over the 3-day long weekend in June each year, welcomed by the traditional owners.
Barunga Festival has a strong history of showcasing the Katherine region and supporting remote indigenous communities to come together and celebrate the positive aspects of community life. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to join in the festivities and enjoy this unique opportunity to engage with a remote Indigenous community.
HISTORY
The first Barunga Festival was held in 1985 at the instigation of the leader of the Bagala clan, Bangardi Lee. The community was then known as Bamyilli. The festival has been held every year since on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June.
In 1988, Barunga was the site of Aboriginal leaders coming together and presenting Prime Minister Bob Hawke with the Barunga Statement which called for a treaty. Prime Minister Hawke signed the statement in his visit to the Festival but sadly, it was never brought before Parliament. Yothu Yindi went on to write the worldwide hit ‘Treaty’ as a result of this gathering at the Barunga Festival.
June 11 .New : Finding Common Ground and a Way Forward for Indigenous Recognition
Written submissions should be received by Monday 11 June
Above NACCHO Library image
A new committee met yesterday, to further consider matters regarding recognition of Australia’s indigenous people, and will be co-chaired by Senator Patrick Dodson, Senator for Western Australia, and Mr Julian Leeser MP , Member for Berowra.
The Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is expected to report by the end of November this year, with an interim report due in July.
The Committee is calling for submissions and is considering options for public meetings and hearings.
Co-Chairs Senator Dodson and Mr Leeser MP said: ‘As a committee, we are looking for common ground and ways forward on these critical matters for Australia’s future. We hope to hear from Australians about the next steps for recognition of First Nations peoples.
We plan to consult widely, starting with First Nations leadership. We understand that a great deal of work has already been done: the job of this committee is to build on that work and to now take the next steps.’
The Committee website has details of Committee membership, and will be the first point of information about the work of the Committee.
Written submissions should be received by Monday 11 June, to assist with planning meetings and hearings, but the Committee may accept submissions after this date.
For background:
Please contact the Committee secretariat on 02 6277 4129
or via email at jsccr@aph.gov.au
Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website.
Click on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner and register
13 June Should Non-Indigenous ppl have a connection to Country”?
CIRI event at the National Press Club. with speakers @ArabenaKerry Tom Calma, Devin Bowles & Charlie Massy
19 June 21 St Century Aboriginal Health Research
21st Century Aboriginal Health Research
The Aboriginal Health College is thrilled to be hosting a showcase of Aboriginal Health Research projects. This event is the first in a series of educational seminars promoting best practice in Aboriginal Health Research by exploring community engagement, Aboriginal Governance, evidence-based practice and how researchers achieved success working with community.
Please join us to hear from the SEARCH team at the Sax Institute, the POCHE Centre’s Adjunct Associate Professor Kylie Gwynne and University of Wollongong’s Professor Kathleen Clapham.
2 – 4 July 2018 First Nations Governance Forum; : Canberra
Museum of Australian Democracy
Old Parliament House, Canberra
As Australia’s national university, ANU has an obligation to constructively contribute to the discussion of policy reform and processes of significant issues concerning Indigenous Australia.
The University seeks to reignite national debate about Australia’s First Nations governance models and their contribution to policy. We are in a unique position to facilitate an International Indigenous-led discussion, with academic rigour, on some of the most challenging issues affecting the country.
We recognise that the academic expertise on these issues is distributed among universities around Australia and the world and welcomes contributions from interested parties.
Forum details
In 2018 ANU will host the First Nations Governance Forum with a goal to provide a series of policy options relevant to Australia through learning from models in other colonial settler states that demonstrate Indigenous peoples leadership in the governance of their affairs. The Forum will include a welcome dinner, keynote presentations, a series of high-level panel discussions and workshop sessions.
The Forum will be hosted with the support of Australia’s Federal Indigenous parliamentarians, Indigenous leaders, academics, government, leading international policy makers and other interested stakeholders. The Forum will consider First Nations governance reform in Australia and, share the experiences of Indigenous people in comparable jurisdictions including Aotearoa (New Zealand), Canada, USA and Scandinavian countries. The Forum will build on the extensive work undertaken on this issue including the Report of the Expert Panel on Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution (2012), the Report of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (2015) and the Uluru Statement from the Heart (2017).
Attendance options
Broad participation in the Forum from across the community is encouraged and supported. The Forum is a public event. Attendance is free (though attendees will be responsible for their own expenses including travel, accommodation and meals). The Forum will also be live-streamed and recorded to ensure remote access.
The following attendance options are available:
- Onsite
An Expression of Interest process will be conducted for a limited number of seats available at the Museum of Australian Democracy. Complete the Expression of Interest form by 13 June. Applicants will be selected across representative groups and notified in the first week of June. - Live-stream at ANU
A facilitated, live-streamed broadcast will be hosted at Llewellyn Hall on the ANU campus. Those who are unsuccessful in registering a place at the Museum of Australian Democracy are encouraged to register to attend this event at Llewellyn Hall. - Remote live-streaming
The Forum will also be live-streamed across the internet, ensuring access for everyone. Register your interest to participate in the national live-stream.
* Note: the Forum is a public event and will be live-streamed and recorded, and research may be conducted using data obtained from the event. Live-stream analytics data from the event may be collected and used in research.
July 11-12 National NAIDOC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Woman’s Conference in Sydney.
When the National NAIDOC Committee announced the 2018 Theme: Because of Her, We Can in November 2017 there was a huge round of applause around Australia particularly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women.
Amongst those women were Christine Ross, Sharon Kinchela and Chris Figg who all agreed we needed to celebrate this fabulous theme.
So, with great excitement Ngiyani Pty Ltd announced they would host a National NAIDOC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Conference to be held on 11 – 12 July 2018 at UNSW Kensington Campus Sydney. They are utlising the services of Christine Ross Consultancy as the Project Manager.
For all event enquires please call 1300 807 374 or email christine.ross@live.com.au
Only 200 spots left. Go to the Registration Site
October 30 2018 NACCHO Annual Members’ Conference and AGM SAVE A DATE
Follow our conference using HASH TAG #NACCHOagm2018
This is Brisbane Oct 30—Nov 2
The NACCHO Members’ Conference and AGM provides a forum for the Aboriginal community controlled health services workforce, bureaucrats, educators, suppliers and consumers to:
- Present on innovative local economic development solutions to issues that can be applied to address similar issues nationally and across disciplines
- Have input and influence from the ‘grassroots’ into national and state health policy and service delivery
- Demonstrate leadership in workforce and service delivery innovation
- Promote continuing education and professional development activities essential to the Aboriginal community controlled health services in urban, rural and remote Australia
- Promote Aboriginal health research by professionals who practice in these areas and the presentation of research findings
- Develop supportive networks
- Promote good health and well-being through the delivery of health services to and by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people throughout Australia.
6. NACCHO Aboriginal Male Health Ochre Day
Hobart Aug 27 –28
7. NATSIHWA National Professional Development Symposium 2018
We’re excited to release the dates for the 2018 National Professional Development Symposium to be held in Alice Springs on 2nd-4th October. More details are to be released in the coming weeks; a full sponsorship prospectus and registration logistics will be advertised asap via email and newsletter.
This years Symposium will be focussed on upskilling our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners through a series of interactive workshops. Registrants will be able to participate in all workshops by rotating in groups over the 2 days. The aim of the symposium is to provide the registrants with new practical skills to take back to communities and open up a platform for Health Workers/Practitioners to network with other Individuals in the workforce from all over Australia.
We look forward to announcing more details soon!
8.AIDA Conference 2018 Vision into Action
Building on the foundations of our membership, history and diversity, AIDA is shaping a future where we continue to innovate, lead and stay strong in culture. It’s an exciting time of change and opportunity in Indigenous health.
The AIDA conference supports our members and the health sector by creating an inspiring networking space that engages sector experts, key decision makers, Indigenous medical students and doctors to join in an Indigenous health focused academic and scientific program.
AIDA recognises and respects that the pathway to achieving equitable and culturally-safe healthcare for Indigenous Australians is dynamic and complex. Through unity, leadership and collaboration, we create a future where our vision translates into measureable and significantly improved health outcomes for our communities. Now is the time to put that vision into action.
AIDA Awards
Nominate our members’ outstanding contributions towards improving the health and life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
9.CATSINaM Professional Development Conference
Venue: Hilton Adelaide
Location: 233 Victoria Square, Adelaide, SA
Timing: 8:30am – 5:30pm
More info
10.Healing Our Spirit Worldwide
