ANTaR Newsletter Nov 2019

November eNews  
ANTaR Victoria’s AGM
 Treaty in Victoria
Queensland takes steps towards Treaty
Djab wurrung trees settlement and more

  ANTaR Victoria 2020 AGM
and Reconciliation Victoria’s Connecting the Dots
The AGM was a chance to reflect on 2019. The year has been focused on education and conversation. See the annual report here.

The day started with Uncle Ron’s Welcome to Country which included some of his own experiences as a Wurundjeri Woiwurrung man growing up in Melbourne.

The AGM was followed by reconciliation Victoria’s forum – Connecting The Dots which kicked off with Wurundjeri Woiwurrung singer/songwriter Chenile Chandler who sung in language.

A panel discussion followed with Wotjobaluk / Dja Dja Wurrung woman Belinda Duarte, Torres Strait Islander man Thomas Mayor and Gunditjmara Djabwurrung / Gunnai Brabodoong Briakaloong woman Lidia Thorpe. The discussion centred around Treaty, The Statement From The Heart, activism in the modern era and what we can do locally and on a grassroots level. Uncle Jim Berg finished the day with stories from his life.


Thank you to everyone who came along     Election results of First Peoples Assembly to be counted
  The establishment of the First Peoples’ Assembly is the next step in the Treaty process and will be the first of its kind in Australia. Counting of the votes started on 31 October.    Find out more here.
 
Read about what the historic Treaty process means for many Aboriginal Victorians. 
 
Meanwhile, Lidia Thorpe has dropped her nomination for the Peoples’ Assembly. In an article written by Lidia earlier this month, she explains the motivation behind the decision, which is in part due to the ‘2,600 hectares, 172 parcels of public land, [which] are currently being prepared for sale by the government in Victoria.’ Along with the large amounts of land being sold off privately, Lidia mentions the attempted destruction of the Djab Wurrung birthing trees.
Read the full article here.
   
Queensland takes steps toward Treaty  
In July the Queensland Government declared its intention to work towards establishing a treaty with the First Nations Peoples of Queensland.
The state Government asserted that the Federal Government had failed to act on the issue.
The first consultation session with the Traditional Owners was held in Cairns in October, with 27 sessions in total to be held across the state over the next few months.
This process is to be led by an independent Eminent Panel and Treaty Working Group. Conversations will include Indigenous representatives and human rights experts.



  Deputy Premier and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Jackie Trad said it was important all Queenslanders had their say in the process so it could be truly respectful and inclusive.
Ms Trad believes that while the process may be long and difficult it would be worth it to contribute to bringing all Queenslanders together. 
Learn more about the Queensland Treaty process here.
      Djab Wurrung Settlement
Djab Wurrung Traditional Owners have negotiated an interim settlement with Major Roads Victoria.

The settlement allows Major Roads Victoria to begin construction on a 3.8 kilometre section of road which was identified as least culturally sensitive.

Major Roads Victoria has agreed that no work, except surveys conducted on foot, will take place outside the 3.8km section before the next Federal Court hearing in November.

More details of the settlement can be found here.
 
Arrernte muralist calls for schools to engage with more Aboriginal artist

  Aboriginal artist and Arrernte man Scott Rathman is calling for schools to engage their curriculum with more Aboriginal artists.
Mr Rathman’s career involves travelling throughout Australia painting murals for various customers.
He also teaches primary school students about Aboriginal culture using his art as a tool for engagement.
Mr Rathman wants schools to bring in more Aboriginal artists and educators to teach Aboriginal culture and history.
He believes that first hand exposure to Aboriginal culture will serve to diminish any bias about Aboriginal people that impressionable young children may pick up.

 
The Palawa Kani language revival movement in Tasmania
 
“Palawa” means Tasmanian Aboriginal person and “Kani” means language in Palawa Kani, the Aboriginal language of Tasmania which has been in the process of revival for more than 30 years. Palawa Kani is made up of the remnants of the sixteen separate, original languages of Aboriginal Tasmania.


“It’s great to see how quickly the kids pick it up and how our elders are starting to embrace it, because
they’re hearing their beautiful grandchildren speaking palawa kani — it’s just wonderful,” 


-Tessa Atto, Tasmanian Traditional Owner

Learn more here.
    Events

  Koling wada-ngal Wadawurrung Dja: Let’s walk Wadawurrung Country together for Frolic Festival Sunday 10 November, 10:00am-12:00pm

Black Hill



Wadawurrung woman, Tammy Gilson, will take you on a journey looking at the landscape through the eye of her ancestors.   Find out more and book tickets here. 

 
  Marngrook: What is the History of Aboriginal Football? Wednesday 13th November, 7:30pm-8:30pm
Hopscotch, Southbank


Join Bernadette Atkinson to learn about the history of Marngrook (Traditional AFL), how it was played in Victoria and the rest of Australia.
Fun fact: Men and women were allowed to play against each other, and sometimes games would go for days on end!

Find out more and book here.
    Heide’s Indigenous Landscape

Thursday 14 November, 11:00am


Heide Museum of Modern Art



Join Head Gardener David Murphy and Manningham Historian Jim Poulter for a guided tour around the Heide locality and a conversation about how Aboriginal people managed the land pre-colonial settlement, their cultural knowledge of the area and the Indigenous seasons. Adult $15/ Concession and Senior $12/ Member $10 For more information click here.
    Mangaan – gather, gathers, gatherer

Until January 26 2020

Bunjilaka


 
  From Far North Queensland, Mangaan shares knowledge of recent work from Aboriginal artists from Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre, South Australian Museum and Museums Victoria.

Plan your visit here

 
Knowing our Languages: Celebrating the year of Indigenous Languages

Tuesday 26 November, 4:30pm-6:00pm

VU at Metro West


Hear Boonwurrung elder, N’arweet Carolyn Briggs, Gunditjmara possum cloak maker and multi-media artist, Vicki Couzens, Wurundjeri language cultural mentor and artist, Mandy Nicholson, and Wiradjuri PhD recipient in Indigenous Oral History, Dr Sadie Heckenberg, explore the importance of language. Book and find out more here.
    ANTaR National Treaty Forum
  Saturday 30 November


  This discussion will look at the avenue of a Natonal Treaty. We will hear about what has happened in the Treaty sphere in different states around the country and how this informs a National Treaty moving forward.

Line up and info still to come.  


Our mailing address is: ANTaR Victoria 67 Brunswick St Fitzroy, VIC 3065 Australia


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