| February eNews Cultural Burning 26 January And more News 26 January 2020 On Sunday January 26, protests and ceremonies to mark Survival Day or Invasion Day were held across Australia and overseas. of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures.Tens of thousands attended events in capital cities, regional centres and as far away as London to acknowledge the ongoing impact Pay The Rent of around 1% of wages to Traditional Owners of this land. Read more here and here. In recent years, January 26 has encouraged serious discussion around the popular narratives of Australia and the consequences of colonisation. The changing discourse is reflected in the growing support for this day. In order to show respect to Aboriginal people all year around, many are calling for Australians to See photos of the day here. Read more about various marches here and here. Share The Spirit Festival Every year the Treasury Gardens in Melbourne is filled with culture and people for the annual Share The Spirit Festival on January 26. As usual, ANTaR Victoria held a stall at the Festival. The stall was filled with milling crowds and compelling discussions. On top of this, the music and vibrant array of stalls made the day especially meaningful. It is a yearly highlight for ANTaR Victoria to be a part of this festival. Thank you to Songlines for putting together a special event once again. See you next year! Aboriginal Fire Management The most damaging fire season in Australian history has prompted the nation to deeply comprehend our fire safety. There has been urgent calls to follow the lead of Traditional Owners who undertake cultural burning, like the ancient practices which were reinvigorated in 2019 on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. The Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation has described Cultural burning as ‘burning practices developed by Aboriginal people to enhance the health of the land and its people.’ Cultural burning has many benefits. As well as preventing catastrophic bush fires, cultural burning stimulates seed germination and protects animals. The threat of serious bush fires shows more than ever how valuable the wisdom and knowledge of Traditional Owners is in protecting Country – a knowledge which has thousands of years to back it up. This article by Ella Archibald-Binge and Rhett Wyman explain how cultural burning saved a property in the Hunter Valley. What Can You Do? There are multiple ways you can support Aboriginal communities affected by bush fires or support cultural burning to ensure a safer future. Spread the news on social media, donate or encourage your work or school to support local or national initiatives. Numerous fundraising avenues have popped up around Australia. Here are a few that you can support. The Firesticks Alliance works with Traditional Owners and fire services to support cultural burning practices. Learn more here and here. Donate to the Firesticks Alliance here. Currie Country are crowdfunding to create a coalition of Traditional Owners to protect Country using cultural burning. This will also help the wider community, including fire services and the government, have access to this knowledge and service. Click here to learn more and donate. Neil Morris, Yorta Yorta man, is raising funds to provide fire relief for First Nations communities affected by the bush fires. Donate here. Aboriginal Organisations Meet with PM A coalition of 50 peak Aboriginal organisations met with Prime Minister Morrison last month to discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice in Australia. First on the agenda was cultural burning. It was recognised that this can play a significant role in the impacts of bush fires in the future. The Close the Gap campaign was also a major topic. The PM pledged 1.5 million to developing regional profiles of Closing the Gap targets to support evidence-based policy and decision-making by Indigenous communities. Protecting Indigenous Artists Federal and state ministers, police and Aboriginal art industry representatives will meet in central Australia next month to discuss ways to stop carpetbagging – the unethical treatment and exploitation of Aboriginal artists. Ken Wyatt is calling for changes to the law to better protect Aboriginal artists. Events Another Country – Encore Screening When: 12 February, 7:30pm to 8:45pm Where: HOYTS Melbourne Central, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, Swanston St &, La Trobe St Melbourne, VIC 3000 Follow this link to buy tickets and find out more about this screening. Regeneration: Bushfire Fundraiser When: Saturday 22 February, 12pm to 9pm Where: Perseverance 196 Brunswick Street Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Click here to buy tickets and find out more. The 7th Annual Koorie Art Show When: Up to the Sunday 23rd February Where: Koorie Heritage Trust, Ground Floor, Yarra Building Federation Square Learn more about the Art Show here. Our mailing address is: ANTaR Victoria 67 Brunswick St Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Australia |
