Aboriginal Way

A collaborative team of modern scientists and Ngarrindjeripeople with traditional knowledge have been working together on the Younghusband Peninsula soaks, which have sustained human and animal life for generations.Some of those soaks still remain today, although many have disappeared, prompting the research project to better understand what has changed across the landscape.Led by the Coorong Lower Lakes Murray Mouth Research (CLLMM) Centre, the project has focused on identifying freshwater soaks across Australia’s longest coastal dune system, while also working closely with Ngarrindjeri Elders and Indigenous rangers, whose understanding of the Countrystretches back long before modern mapping and satellite technology.For Ngarrindjeri Elder Uncle Derek Gollan, the work isdeeply connected to his own life and history in the region. Born at Raukkan, and raised around the Coorong, Uncle Derek spent decades working as a national parks ranger, travelling up and down the peninsula and learning the waterways, dunes and ecosystems through lived experience.AW spoke with Uncle Derek on Country about his life and experience looking after the Younghusband Peninsula.

Over the past 18 months, Aboriginal leaders have engaged ina co-design process in efforts to guide the South Australian Framework to Advance First Nations Water Interests and deliver beneficial advice on water management for their Country. During a workshop held on Barngarla Country at Central Ovalin Port Augusta, representatives from PBCs approved a draft framework which will now be submitted to the SA Government for consideration.Throughout this series of workshops, Traditional Ownersvoiced the specific concerns and aspirations they had for the future management of water on their lands, an area which many in attendance voiced had been overlooked historically.South Australia’s water resources have historically beenundertaken without due acknowledgement of Traditional Owners’ ancestral rights and obligations to water, impacting Aboriginal people’s ability to use their traditional and ecological knowledge to care for the environment. During the workshop we spoke with respected Barngarla Elder Harry Dare about water concerns he had for his Country, as part of a wider conversation about the region’s unique challenges when it comes to managing theenvironment.   

The South Australian Aboriginal Land & Sea Ranger Conference was held at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre in Hahndorf on March 23-26, bringing ranger groups and relevant bodies from across the country together for a constructive dialogue, workshops and exchange of vital knowledge. Different days of the conference had specific focus areas including ranger networks and success stories, training and education, and future planning and strategic co-design.Several ranger groups gave detailed presentations on the work they do on Country, including Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation, Wardang Island IPA (Aboriginal Lands Trust), Ngarrindjeri LPCA, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Rangers, Far West Coast Rangers, and Yarluwar Ruwe.This episode is part two of a series of interviews from the forum and feature yarns with Burrandies'  Thomas Lovett and Terry Hartman and a conversation with APY Ranger Adrian Dodd.

The South Australian Aboriginal Land & Sea RangerConference was held at the Adelaide Hills Convention Centre in Hahndorf on March 23-26, bringing ranger groups and relevant bodies from across the country together for a constructive dialogue, workshops and exchange of vitalknowledge. Different days of the conference had specific focus areasincluding ranger networks and success stories, training and education, and future planning and strategic co-design.Several ranger groups gave detailed presentations on thework they do on Country, including Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation, Wardang Island IPA (Aboriginal Lands Trust), Ngarrindjeri LPCA , Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Rangers, Far West Coast Rangers, and Yarluwar Ruwe.In this episode we speak with FWC ranger Stefan Mazaroskiand Kimberley Land Council Land and Sea Unit Manager Daniel Oades about their experiences at the conference and in managing their Country generally.

Arabana, Mudbura, Gurindji and Warlpiri photographer Colleen Strangways has collected her life’s work (so far) into a remarkable series of vivid imagery on display at the Adelaide Town Hall – accompanied by a striking photography exhibit (UV Songlines: Illuminating Ancestral Roots in the nearby Paul Kelly Lane.One of Colleen’s signature flairs in photography is the inclusion of iconography from the lands her subjects belong to.This process is something that inspired her initial passion for photography, reciting memories of looking back on images of her family and the landscape of her Country as sources of inspiration.Having Country incorporated into the portrait photographs allows Colleen to quickly engage her audiences with key details relating to their lives and ancestry.Altogether, Wathlu Anthunda brings together 38 striking portraits of First Nations people from 30 communities, created across the course of Ms Strangways 15-year career. AW sat down with Ms Strangways and Adnyamathanha and Narungga exhibit contributor, Zane Weetra, to discuss the creative process behind this collection of works.

The Hindmarsh Island bridge dispute told by the Ngarrindjeri women who lived it.For much of the 1990s, a group of Ngarrindjeri womenprotested the building of a bridge from Goolwa to Hindmarsh Island, claiming the island held sacred significance to them.For years, they were subjected to intense scrutiny from themedia, from politicians and even through a Royal Commission, with their voices challenged, dismissed and questioned.Kumarangk, a new major project from Country Arts SA, tells the story of the Hindmarsh Island bridge controversy from the women who were there, giving them a voice to share the story from their perspective, together, for the very first time. Kumarangk starts with a visual arts exhibition at @AdelaideContemporary Experimental (ACE) Gallery on Kaurna Land, followed by a documentary later this year, then a performance in Goolwa in 2027.🎧Aboriginal Way spoke with Dominic Guerrera, Country Arts SA's Ngarrindjeri/Kaurna creative/curator, who came up with the idea.

Walmajarri elder and acclaimed singer-songwriter AuntieOlive Knight (Kankawa Nagarra) will bring a lifetime of storytelling, cultural knowledge and environmental advocacy to WOMADelaide this March, performing onKaurna Country as part of the festival’s diverse 2026 program.Kankawa Nagarra’s music blends blues, gospel, country andWalmajarri language into songs shaped by ceremony, lived experience and an enduring connection to Country. For Nagarra, the blues is not a borrowed form but one thatmirrors musical traditions she has known since childhood.Knight grew up living a traditional nomadic life with herclan in the Kimberley before being relocated onto a pastoral lease. Language sits at the core of Knight’s work, singing inEnglish, Kimberly Kriol and Walmajarri, a language she has spent decades helping to document and preserve. Performing language on stage, particularly within blues andgospel frameworks, creates a powerful point of connection for diverse audiences.

Witiyana Marika, respected Yolngu elder and founding member of pioneering North East Arnhem Land group Yothu Yindi, is preparing to celebrate a remarkable milestone as the group returns to the WOMADelaide stage for the first time in 33 years.The band will mark 35 years since their landmark album ‘Tribal Voice’, featuring iconic anthems such as ‘Treaty’ and ‘Djapana (Sunset Dreaming), in what promises to be an emotionally charged performance bridging cultures and generations.The band's unique fusion of traditional Yolngu culture with contemporary music, alongside balanda (non-Aboriginal or European) musicians has fundamentally changed the landscape of Australian culture over nearly four decades.Speaking from Naarm/Melbourne on December 12, the day of a special Treaty celebration concert at John Cain Arena on Wurundjeri country, Mr Marika reflected on the extraordinary journey that began when Yothu Yindi was formed in 1985.

First Nations groups from sea country areas across South Australia recently came together at a forum to discuss Aboriginal engagement in Commonwealth marine parks.The forum, led by Parks Australia with support from SA Native Title Services, marked the first time all coastal First Nations groups in the state came together with both state and Commonwealth government representatives to discuss marine park management. The workshop was an important first step in resetting Aboriginal engagement in marine parks with further dialogue and actions in the pipeline for 2026.You'll hear from representatives from: Parks AustraliaKaurna Yerta Aboriginal CorporationFar West Coast Aboriginal Corporation Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation All interviewed in the last episode of Aboriginal Way for 2025.

The Department for Environment and Water, in collaboration with SANTS, recently held a two-day co-design workshop in Port Augusta to help finalise the South Australian Framework to Advance First Nations’ Water Interests.The workshop was held over two days at the Standpipe Golf Motor Inn, where participants came together to continue shaping the draft framework. Building on earlier engagement rounds held in February - April 2025 and July - August 2025, the workshop brought together First Nations representatives and stakeholders to refine the draft framework.During the workshop we interviewed Far West Coast Traditional Lands Association chair and Wirangu board member Jack Johncock, who spoke about long-standing losses of water rights and the need for meaningful change. We also spoke with Wangkangurru Elder Raylene Crombie, who reflected on the damage to spiritual water places near Birdsville, and Deborah Naylan who emphasised water sovereignty, cultural authority, and protecting storylines for future generations.

Wirangu and Nauo Aboriginal Corporation (WNAC) and Firesticks Alliance conducted a week-long series of burns at a former farming station at Talia on the Eyre Peninsula.The project site is the locale of Talia Station, a 2,000 hectare property on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula, a site left decimated by sheep grazing since Wirangu and Nauo peoples were displaced in the 1850s.Early in the project Land Life and project partner Cassinia Environmental engaged WNAC to identify best practices for getting Traditional Owners back on Country and assisting in the rejuvenation of the areas adversely affected by this grazing and land degradation. On the week of the burns, Matthew Johncock commenced his new role as a Wirangu and Nauo ranger, providing the perfect opportunity to hit the ground running and utilise the revitalised practice of cultural burning.AW spoke to Mr Johncock and Nauo director Jodi Miller about the cultural burns and the resulting benefits for their Country and community .

Nauo Fest – a celebration of Nauo community, culture and native title – was held at Coffin Bay on Saturday, 15 November 2025. Nauo people and the wider community danced the night away during incredible performances from Electric Fields, the Warren Milera Band and Tony Minnecon, with Elaine Crombie MC.Proudly presented by Nauo Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC and supported by SA Native Title Services and Open Eyre Events, this free festival was an opportunity to celebrate the Nauo people’s 28-year fight for native title recognition on the Lower Eyre Peninsula. Listen to Aboriginal Way’s latest podcast episode straight from the festival to find out more about Nauo's journey to reach native title acknowledgement and the future of Nauo Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.

On Friday 24 October, First Nations of the South East (FNSE) and Ngarrindjeri peoples came together at 42 Mile Crossing in Coorong National Park - where the Federal Court of Australia formally recognised both groups as native title holders over a shared area in South Australia’s south-east.This important determination covers land from the southern tip of the Coorong National Park, stretching east towards Gum Lagoon Conservation Park, and includes the culturally significant site of Sandy’s Hut, a place deeply connected to generations of families and Ancestors.Both groups paid tribute to Elders past, whose resilience and leadership made this recognition possible - a testament to their enduring connection to Country, culture, and community.AW spoke with three members of First Nations of South East - Aunty Penny Bonney, Cheryl Saunders and Andrew Birtwhistle-Smith following the consent determination.

On Tuesday 21 October, the Kaurna community came together (along with friends and allies), for the fourth and final reburial ceremony of their Ancestors at Wangayarta.The southern mound, one of four reburial mounds at Wangayarta, was created for the reburial of Kaurna Ancestors disturbed from southern areas of Kaurna Country over the last century.Wangayarta is a memorial/reburial park designed by the Kaurna community in 2019-2020 as a pilot repatriation project here in South Australia. Led by the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, the park was created to re-inter disturbed Ancestors held for decades at the South Australian Museum and the Adelaide University.Emotional ceremonies have already been held at Wangayarta for Kaurna Ancestors from the northern, western and eastern parts of Kaurna Country since December 2021.In this episode you’ll hear from:- Allan Sumner, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Traditional Owner and MC of the ceremony - Major Moogy Sumner, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri Elder- Anna Russo, Aboriginal Heritage and Repatriation Manager at the South Australian Museum - Allan Sumner speaking at the event, used with permission.

“Sick to my stomach. There have been far too many situations where this has happened and our feelings, our connections and our thoughts have never been considered.”Chair of the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, Mitzi Nam, speaks out over the planned redevelopment of the North Adelaide Golf Course at Pirtawardli (meaning "brush tail possum home") to host the high-profile LIV Golf tournament in 2028.She shares the deep cultural and spiritual significance of the site, the pain of feeling excluded from formal consultation, and the urgent need for culturally respectful conversations to protect sacred places."We know development needs to happen, but when it comes to something that's just going to benefit a certain section of people, it's not for the wider community.It’s all about the money, but you can’t put a dollar value on protecting our cultural heritage for future generations.”

If you’ve ever wanted to find out more about native title – or even more about virtual reality – this episode is for you!Step onto Country as Traditional Owners tell you stories andguide you through their land and waters, all from within the foyer of the South Australian Museum.That’s the premise of Country, Culture, People, a newnative title display and VR experience by South Australian Native Title Services, looking back over more than 30 years of native title history here in South Australia.Visitors can explore key moments that have shaped nativetitle here, from the Native Title Act passing in 1993, to the first determination at De Rose Hill in 2005 and the landmark Kaurna determination in 2018. Then, virtually step onto Country and hear powerful stories from Traditional Owners. Key points in the podcast:3:47 SANTS CEO Keith Thomas talks about Country, Culture,People. 8:00 Keith explains what native title is, how it's evolved in SA in the years since he's been at the helm of SANTS and discusses the remaining areas of SA that are yet to be determined.18:15 Reuben Gore from Topbunk explains how the agency created the virtual reality display and how VR can be used to transport people to locations and scenarios that might not be easily accessible.Country, Culture, PeopleSouth Australian Museum foyer, North Terrace, Kaurna CountryVR Experience available over weekends for the remainder ofAugust

In this episode, we speak with Glenn Chisholm about the vital work of River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC) rangers in the Riverland.Cultural heritage protection is at the heart of their work, with a special focus on protecting ancestral burial sites using both traditional knowledge and modern scientific methods.Glenn envisions state-wide ranger gatherings where teams can share knowledge, skills, and experiences across different Country types.The program is growing, with plans to add new rangers over the next three years if funding is secured.Following the devastating floods of 2022-23, rangers have been restoring damaged cultural sites and discovering new ones exposed by the waters. They use mapping and monitoring techniques to track changes to sites over time and identify areas needing restoration or protection.Collaborating with landowners and other stakeholders is crucial, though can be challenging, to gain access and support for protecting sensitive sites.As Glenn proudly notes, these rangers aren't just protecting their own Country - they're making an impact that reaches far beyond their "little old country town."

Yitpi Yartapuultiku, the soul of Port Adelaide, recently opened to the public at an event attended by around 10,000 people.Nearly 30 years in the making, the cultural centre is led and mostly funded by the Port Adelaide Enfield Council.Aboriginal Way spoke with Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis O'Brien and Aboriginal Community Lead Rodney Welch onsite about the importance of the new centre.

In this episode, Aboriginal Way speaks with the South Australian Museum's Aboriginal Heritage and Repatriation Manager, Anna Russo.Learn more about the museum's updated repatriation process, the different communities that have been involved and the importance of repatriation in reconnecting Aboriginal people with their heritage.You can read the accompanying story in the Autumn 2025 edition of Aboriginal Way magazine, out now - Aboriginal Way magazine - SA Native Title.Aboriginal Way has spoken with several different communities about repatriation to get a varied perspective over the years. Search back through our podcast or magazine archives for more repatriation stories as we continue this coverage.*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners, please be advised that this episode contains mention of deceased people.*

Groups of young Aboriginal people are learning more about Country by heading out to remote nature reserves for 5-day camps through the Nature Foundation’s Kids on Country junior ranger program. Traditional Owners mentor high school students as they engage in practical on-Country studies in conservation and land management through a SACE-accredited course, which also involves classroom study and online learning. Nature Foundation’s CEO Alex Nankivell, says that since launching in 2016, Kids on Country has become a sought-after program for schools, with enquiries from across Australia.The camps combine cultural stories, life skills such as car maintenance, fence repair, and cooking kangaroo tails over a campfire, as well as conservation projects such as bird and animal surveys. 🎧 Hear from program coordinators and students in this podcast and read the full article in the autumn edition of Aboriginal Way, out soon!

The preservation of the culturally significant Koonalda Cave in South Australia’s Far West Coast (FWC) region will be bolstered by the installation of new security cameras and the implementation of a comprehensive’ management plan.In 2022, the National Heritage listed cave was broken into and vandalised by unknown culprits, with the installation of these cameras a direct response to this incident.These new security measures were enabled by a $400,000 Australian Heritage Grant, facilitating the setup of remotely monitored cameras, recording 24 hours a day that can assist in prosecuting people who illegally access this site. Koonalda Cave sits within the Nullarbor Wilderness Protection Area, around 80km east of the West Australian border, containing cultural heritage “highly vulnerable” to human damage and at risk from environmental changes.Koonalda Cave has been closed off to the public since the late 1980s and is of particular significance to the Mirning people, featuring exceptionally well-preserved markings and evidence of flint mining and transformed contemporary understandings of Aboriginal art and archaeology in Australia.In 1956, archaeologist Dr Alexander Gallus dated the archaeological remains and finger markings at Koonalda Cave to be from 22,000 years prior, with later dating via radiocarbon technology confirming this, which was revolutionary for the wider public’s understanding of Australia’s timeline. During the development of the plan for the cave, Aboriginal groups with staked interest in the site were consulted, including the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation (FWCAC), which holds native title rights over the area.This episode features Mirning and Yankuntjyara man Clem Lawrie, who has strong familial connection to the cave, particularly through his mother’s side, and holds strong connection to the wider Nullarbor Plains.

During her childhood, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG was told that she would never amount to anything. She went on to be described as “the greatest Aboriginal leader of the modern era.” Dr O’Donoghue, a Yankunytjatjara woman, passed away peacefully on Kaurna Country last year at the age of 91, and her life and legacy are soon to be commemorated with an exhibition in her honour. LOWITJA – A Life of Leadership and Legacy will feature a selection from Dr O’Donoghue’s extensive personal collection of her landmark speeches and media interviews, never before seen photographs, letters and reports spanning across her lifetime relating to the Stolen Generations, nursing and healthcare, Aboriginal affairs, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), her own significant achievements, family and Indigenous peoples. AW spoke with Dr O'Donoghue's niece, Deb Edwards, who heads up the Lowitja Foundation, about her incredible life and impact.

On Tuesday March 28 a sod turning ceremony was held to launch construction of the long-awaited Purrkanaitya Elders Village at Warriparinga/Bedford Park.Purrkanaitya is a Kaurna word meaning "for all Elders", with the facility set to deliver 40 modern and culturally appropriate homes near the Sturt River.The project is slated to take around 14 months, with the facility offering Elders the opportunity to live independently on country in affordable, safe and secure community housing.Funding for the project has been contributed by the SA government, federal government and Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC), who also donated the land for the project.AW spoke about the commencement of building with ILSC chairperson Ian Hamm.

State Records of South Australia was the country's first service of its kind when it was established more than 100 years ago in 1919.  State Records SA has an Aboriginal Reference Group and specific Aboriginal access services, which include Aboriginal access officers.  These services can help you find your Aboriginal family history through culturally sensitive archival records. They can specifically assist members of the Stolen Generations in identifying and becoming reunited with members of their families. They also help researchers find information and gain access to the correct records for their needs. “We support the spirit of Reconciliation and the recognition of individuals’ right of access to their own personal information” - State Records SAToday, AW is speaking with Senior Aboriginal Access Officer Tara Collier and Senior Reference Archivist Nick Miller about their work and how they can help you discover more about your own family history.

Bangarra Dance Theatre are bringing a new cross-cultural collaboration to audiences around the country with ‘The Light Inside’, a joint-choreographed piece with leading Māori choreographer Moss Te Ururangi Patterson. The project is a collaborative piece created by Patterson and Bangarra’s Deborah Brown, working together to honour their respective mother countries and the spirit that calls them home. Brown is a proud descendent of the Wakaid Clan and Meriam people in the Torres Strait and has crafted a piece that binds together her experience with that of the First Peoples of Aoteoroa. Audiences at WOMADelaide 2025 will have two opportunities to catch Bangarra Dance Theatre, on the Friday and Saturday evenings of the festival. Ahead of their show, AW spoke with Maddison Paluch, one of the talented artists performing ‘The Light Inside.’

Reconciliation SA have called for the date of the annual Australia Day celebration on January 26 to be moved, amidst efforts to strive for a more reflective approach to the national holiday. The date has remained a point of division amongst Australians, with regular debate arising in the lead up. Rec SA are asking the wider public to consider the viewpoint of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who relate Jan 26 with the dark history of early colonisation. Jeremy Johncock, a proud Wirangu and Mirning man and Co-Chair Reconciliation SA, provided the following statement. “There is this misconception that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples don’t want to celebrate our beautiful Country," he said. "Of course we do, just not on the day that marks the beginning of dispossession, forcible removal of children, loss of culture, languages and lands. "Acknowledging our shared history is one part but acceptance of this history, seems to be the challenging piece - both are essential for healing, unity, and progress.” We spoke with Reconciliation SA CEO Jason Downs about the organisation's continued push for change and national reflection around this date.

Gynburra Festival is the largest single Aboriginal Nation event held in Southern Australia. Last year the family friendly event celebrated its 10th year running, and this year it’s back over two days - this Friday, the 24th and Saturday, 25th January, at Port Victoria on the Garunnda, the Narungga name for the Yorke Peninsula. Today, we're speaking with Gynburra's founder and Managing Director, Garry Goldsmith.

The Indigenous Desert Alliance (IDA) held a significant conference of Elders, rangers, community leaders at Uluru, with over 400 attendees making their way to the biannual event. The conference celebrated “A Decade of Connection” in reference to the IDA’s past ten years of coordinating these events, with the three-day event running between November 11-14 and containing full-day rosters of workshops. The IDA was established to facilitate the sharing of lived experience from the vast network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rangers across the desert regions of Australia. The desert area covered by IDA groups spans over 2,730,000 square kilometres, containing 25 Indigenous Protected Areas, 65 ranger teams and over 78 threatened species. AW spoke with Arabana head ranger, Zaheer McKenzie, about the conference and several of the important projects that the Arabana ranger program is involved with more widely.

First Nations Healing (FNH), formerly Nunga Mi:Minar, is a family and domestic violence support service, which recently celebrated 50 years of operating in South Australia. The rebrand represents a shift in their service delivery, which now includes supporting not only victims but also perpetrators of family and domestic violence. In this episode, FNH CEO, Olive Bennell, and Strategy, Policy and Partnership Lead, Clinton Bennell, explain the organisation's new name, direction and why we should avoid labels like "perpetrator" and "victim", and instead focus on individual and family healing. For support from FNH, please call 8367 6474 or visit firstnationshealing.com.au. You can also call 13YARN on 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days) and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter. No shame, no judgment - just a safe place to yarn.

On Wednesday Nov 27, the SA First Nations Voice to Parliament gave its inaugural address to the South Australian Parliament. The historic address was given in the Legislative Council Chamber at Parliament House, with Presiding Member Leeroy Bilney speaking on behalf of the collective members of the SA Voice. So far, the Voice has provided feedback on government legislation relating to early childhood development and preventative health, and is set to provide formal contribution to the royal commision into domestic, family and sexual violence. AW attended the address, asking Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher to interview Mr Bilney following his speech. We also spoke with Yawarrawarrka man and SA Voice representative, Rob Singleton, about his aspirations for the collective moving forward.

One of the first-ever cultural tours on Kangaroo Island is now up and running.Ngarrindjeri Elder Mark Koolmatrie’s tourism company, Kool Tours has teamed up with SeaLink Kangaroo Island for the tour, which will respectfully share the unique culture and history of KI, or Nurrungaui as it is known to the Ngarrindjeri people.It’s proving to be a year of growth for Kool Tours. The company was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame at the South Australian Tourism Awards after winning gold medals there for three years running.Mark Koolmatrie joined us on Aboriginal Way to tell us all about the new KI tour and Australia’s booming First Nations tourism industry.

Yankunytjatjara Anangu woman Karina Lester has just travelled from the APY Lands to Baku, Azerbaijan for the world’s biggest climate change summit – COP 29. Along with an Indigenous Australian delegation, the traditional owner will share her community’s concerns and ideas about tackling climate change. As a second-generation nuclear test survivor, Karina will be advocating against nuclear projects as an alternative to fossil fuels. Karina Lester is an Aboriginal language expert at the University of Adelaide's Mobile Language Team. In her spare time, she advocates against nuclear projects on Aboriginal lands.

Held in the second week of November each year, Nunga Week is an annual week of events to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities’ contributions in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council region. Nunga Week will be held next week, the 10-16th November this year, and AW went down to Port Adelaide to find out more about it from Rodney Welch, Aboriginal Community Development Lead.

Kauwi cultural cruise is a new cultural adventure set to show you a different side of the waters off the southern coast of Kaurna Yerta. The monthly two-hour cruise is a recent collaboration between Southern Cultural Immersion and Temptations Sailing, who both saw a gap for this offering in Adelaide’s tourism market. Southern Cultural Immersion offers cultural experiences right across the city of Adelaide from their base at the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, which they manage at Warriparinga. Temptation Sailing is a locally based company offering cruises and private charters from their base at Glenelg Marina. Together, the two businesses share key values of respect for Country and culture, promoting sustainable practices and education. The tours will be led by a First Nations guide and a marine biologist, so guests will be able to delve deeply into the rich history of Kaurna Yerta and its waters, immersing themselves in local Dreaming stories and learning about the significant aquatic and cultural elements that call it home. Southern Cultural Immersion invited Aboriginal Way to come along on the first cruise open to the public this week….

Narungga Nation have continued their efforts to restore traditional land management processes, holding inclusive workshops for Yorke Peninsula locals who are eager to explore the benefits of burning on Country. On September 30 and October 1 workshops were held at Ardrossan and Minlagawi Gum Flat, with Narungga fire practitioners demonstrating controlled burns on site. The  Cultural Burns Education Project has seen the delivering of workshops and the production of short films to be used on social media and websites, to increase understanding around how native vegetation responds to fire, how it can be managed to reduce fire risk, why it is an important cultural practice, and how caring for Country by Narungga people leads to healthy people and environment. Narungga Elder, Rex Angie, was present during Narungga burns over the past years and was excited to see their land management practices in the spotlight. The project was delivered by a steering committee with representatives from Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Point Pearce Aboriginal Corporation/Indigenous Protected Areas Rangers, Nharangga Aboriginal Progress Association, Nharangga Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, Firesticks, and Narungga community members.

South Australia's First Nations Business Showcase is back for 2024, bigger and better than ever. AW spoke to Michael Levin from The Circle about the event.

Pilot Indigenous coding program Indigi Code has been established for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with the hope they will be able to gain future employment and work remotely in the digital space. Indigi Code, a partnership between programming education provider 42 Adelaide and the Aboriginal Biodiversity Conservation (ABC) Foundation had its first session at Nguta College in September, with 20 students participating in a week-long course designed for entry-level coders. The free program offers a “gamified” peer-to-peer study experience, with students learning from other students through engagement-style learning.   ABC Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation established in WA, with its flagship program providing services to benefit on-Country education programs and 42 Adelaide is a non-profit coding school. Both organisations hope to expand from this initial pilot program with the scope to include other schools if the right interest and funding is found.

Early last week, on September 23rd, the Nauo people’s final active native title application, Nauo #2, came to a successful conclusion from the Federal Court of Australia. Judge Justice O’Bryan handed down his verdict electronically from the Federal Court, giving the Nauo people native title rights and interests over the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula. Today, we’re speaking with Nauo Co-Chair Michael Miller, who is Co-Chair alongside Danielle James.

Mayibarrdu or Goose Island, off the West Coast of the Yorke Peninsula in the Spencer Gulf of South Australia, will return to the hands of its Traditional Owners, the Narungga Nation. This is following the Federal Court’s March 2023 recognition of the Narungga people as Native Title holders of the whole of the Yorke Peninsula. The island has been leased exclusively to private school Scotch College since 1966 through the Department of Environment and Water. Mayiburrdu is a small, rocky island west of Point Pearce. It is about 550 metres off the northern end of the much larger Wardang Island. Today on Aboriginal Way, we’re speaking to Doug Milera, CEO of Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation.

Many Australians, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, have felt overwhelming disappointment since Australia voted "no" in the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Nearly a year later, people are looking for a way to move forward from this. After writing the Voice to Parliament Handbook with journalist Kerry O'Brien in the lead-up to the referendum, respected Indigenous advocate Thomas Mayo has found that people are again looking to him for guidance. He has just published a new book called Always Was, Always Will be: The Campaign for Justice and Recognition Continues, offering a formula to get to a place of justice and recognition for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mayo was a signatory to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in May 2017 after helping to develop it. He has been a leading campaigner for its proposals for a Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission, and has had more than 20 years experience in advocacy and leadership. Mayo, a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal Torres Strait islander man, joins us on the podcast today.

On August 29, water was released from the Beetaloo Reservoir in an effort to preserve ancient river red gums and assist Nukunu to care for and connect to Country. They follow trial water releases from the Baroota Reservoir a couple weeks prior, and similar releases from the Beetaloo and Baroota reservoirs in 2021 and 2022. These releases were in response to community concern about the health of the ancient trees, many of which are estimated to be more than 500 years old. More than a billion litres of water from the two releases will flow into Baroota and Crystal Brook creeks in an effort to improve the resilience of the river red gums and refresh natural habitats for frogs, fish, birds and bugs.  Project partners and local community will monitor and record progress of the water flowing along the creeks to safeguard creek infrastructure and surrounding properties, while also surveying the response of water-dependent animals.  The releases are part of the collaborative Environmental and Cultural Flows project, led by the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board with support from SA Water, the Department for Environment and Water (DEW), Flinders University, Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation and local communities.  Aboriginal Way attended the Beetaloo water release, just outside of Crystal Brook, and interviewed Nukunu Wapma Thura Aboriginal Corporation chair Travis Thomas, Nukunu Elder Laurie Thomas, DEW senior ecologist, Dr Douglas Green and Northern and Yorke Landscape Board planning officer Jennifer Munro.

Wakwakurna Kanyini is the new peak body for South Australian Aboriginal children and young people. Aboriginal Way spoke to Ashum Owen in her first week on the job as the inaugural Chief Executive about her plans for the organisation.

AW spoke to Voice representative Douglas Clinch Jr about his experience and early expectations in regards to the inaugural SA Voice to Parliament. Born and raised in the southern suburbs of Adelaide on Kaurna Country, Mr Clinch has worked in the Aboriginal community sector for over 30 years, including his current role as chair of Neporendi Aboriginal Forum Incorporated. At time of interview, he was working as a project officer in the Attorney Generals department and also credits his time working in the Wardliparingga unit at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) as influential towards his decision to nominate himself for the SA Voice. During our chat with Mr Clinch we spoke about the preliminary function of the Voice, initial expectations and what we can expect in future.

Yitpi Yartapuultiku or “soul of Port Adelaide” in Kaurna language, is a new Aboriginal cultural centre currently under construction on the shores of the Port River, right in the heart of Port Adelaide. You can see the centre really starting to take shape when driving past or going past on the train. It’s set to open its doors to the public in February 2025—only six months away. The centre has been a long time in the making, and today, AW is sitting down with Place Leader Rodney Welch, Site Coordinator Rikki Wilson, and Chair of the Advisory Panel Susan Dixon to hear more about it and how it's setting a new standard for Aboriginal cultural centres.

We know there is a higher rate of diabetes amongst Indigenous Australians, but did you know just how high? Aboriginal people are about three times more likely to suffer from diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians and have a higher rate of complications from the disease. Aboriginal Australians are also about 4.7 times more likely to die from diabetes than their non-indigenous counterparts. The Telethon Kids Institute is currently undertaking a community-led study about why there are such high rates of type-two diabetes in Aboriginal people across South Australia. We spoke with Amanda Richards-Satour, Community Engagement Coordinator in the Indigenous Genomics Team and Rose Senesi, Strategic Relationship and Engagement Manager from the Telethon Kids Institute, about the study.

In a groundbreaking development for the community of Coober Pedy, a new dialysis unit has been established by Purple House, bringing essential healthcare services closer to those in need.Coober Pedy is the first of six facilities announced alongside this funding, with Purple House working on the next five, including a new site at Yalata on the Far West Coast. The four-chair dialysis unit is the first to open from the Commonwealth’s $73 million package intended for up to 30 facilities to benefit patients across Australia.Patients who previously had to travel long distances for treatment can now receive care closer to home, reducing the burden of travel and crucially allowing patients to remain on (or return to) Country which is paramount for individual and community wellbeing.AW spoke to Purple House CEO Sarah Brown about their ongoing work to provide critical dialysis treatment to those in need.

This week has seen national NAIDOC week celebrated around the country, with a theme this year of ‘Keep the fire burning! Blak loud and proud!’ National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on Earth. AW went along to Naidoc in the North, held on Wednesday 10 July at the John McVeity Centre at Smithfield Plains and conducted interviews with stallholders, artists and event organisers to see what NAIDOC meant to them.

Balya Productions have taken the helm for Yabaardu Festival 2024 and are continuing their important work of providing First Nations representation in connection and event production on a national scale. Balya is anchored by proud Wirangu, Kokatha and Mirning woman, Letisha Ackland, a seasoned festival guru with 15 years of experience helping produce some of the country’s biggest festivals and events. This years Yabaardu Festival boasts a strong contingent of First Nations performers from across Australia, ranging from festival stalwart Dan Sultan, to Malyangapa and Paakantyi emcee Barkaa, and an extensive list of artists from SA’s deeply talented rural communities. Balya provides representation and opportunity for First Nations peoples to “break the mould” in a space that had limited visibility when Ms Ackland first cut her teeth in the industry. “When I first started, I was usually almost the only female on stage, let alone First Nations mob,” Ms Ackland said. “I’m big on mentoring, I live by ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’. When I was a young festival goer, I’d look on stage and go ‘where are all the women?’ “Seeing First Nations artists up there is really welcoming and it’s nice for them to see a sister on stage. You can connect naturally when you say hello.” Yabaardu Festival will take place at Far West Aboriginal Sporting Complex in Ceduna on July 19.

This is the second part of our discussion about the rising number of Aboriginal children and young people being removed from their families right here in South Australia. Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People April Lawrie has put forward 48 findings and 32 recommendations from her Inquiry on this in the final report Holding on to Our Future. She discusses her findings, recommendations, and the five changes she says could have a real impact if they were implemented immediately. If you haven't already, we suggest you listen to Part 1 of this conversation before this one for full context (it should be the episode beneath this one in your podcast app). To learn more about the Inquiry and read the final report Holding on to Our Future, click here.

Did you know that a growing number of Aboriginal children and young people are being unnecessarily and disproportionately removed from their families and communities in South Australia? AW speaks to SA's first Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, April Lawrie, about her Inquiry, which has uncovered some shocking statistics. Some statistics here in South Australia: Aboriginal children make up just 5.5% of all children Yet they represent 37.4% of all children in out-of-home care 94 in every 1000 Aboriginal children is in out-of-home care compared to 8 in every 1000 non-Aboriginal children Without change, it's predicted that by 2031, as many as 140 in every 1000 Aboriginal children will be in out-of-home care 62% of placements are in non-Aboriginal forms of care The Inquiry's final report, Holding on to Our Future, included 32 recommendations and 5 actions that could have an immediate impact. Tune in next week to hear more from Commissioner Lawrie about these actions. Read the full report Holding on to Our Future here.