NAILSMAs first forum in August 2004 at Menngen: more than 200
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The first forum for the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea
Management Alliance was held in August 2004 to discuss a way
forward for the north’s Indigenous people post Land Rights
and Native Title.
Held at Menngen Aboriginal Land Trust west of Katherine, the forum
was co-hosted by Traditional Owner Bill Harney, the Wardaman
Association and NAILSMA.
The meeting officially started with the arrival of 200 Traditional
Owners just after the grader cleaned up the track into the meeting
site: the Wynbarra waterhole on Menngen Aboriginal Land Trust.
In opening the meeting Joe Morrison, Coordinator of NAILSMA,
highlighted the role the alliance hopes to perform in ensuring that
Indigenous people are present at the negotiating table when it
comes to managing country across northern Australia
Indigenous people now hold significant assets in land and knowledge
that have been fought for long and hard by their ancestors.
According to chairman of the meeting, Peter Yu, Indigenous people
across northern Australia are now at a watershed.
“We have the opportunity to assert that traditional
ownership, customary and cultural knowledge, is crucial in the
future management of northern Australia,” he said.
“We have some strong struggles ahead in welfare dependency,
health and a rapidly growing population, so we must ensure that
these issues get dealt with by ourselves in productive
partnerships.”
There were vigorous discussions on the alliance’s governance
arrangements—its structure, how it can engage with
researchers, and how Indigenous people can drive a research agenda
based on their on-country needs.
NAILSMA’s current suite of projects were also up for
discussion and comment: Indigenous knowledge, fire, communication,
leadership, scholarships and management of turtle and dugong.
Some important questions were raised around Indigenous customary
use of turtle and dugong, because of concerns that governments may
stop Indigenous people from hunting them. Wardaman culture was also
highlighted, with young men from the community—who were
getting ready for a local ‘culture camp’ scheduled for
late September—dancing for the delegates.
The forum ended with all attendees agreeing on a meeting statement,
which called upon all NAILSMA partner organisations—the
Kimberley Land Council, Northern Land Council, Carpentaria Land
Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Balkanu
Corporation—to:
Re-affirm their commitment to the development strategy and
objectives as stated in the NAILSMA heads of agreement.
- Formally endorse this commitment with the membership of each
partner organisation.
- Integrate fully the Land and Sea units of the partner organisations
within the NAILSMA strategy.
- Nominate community representatives to the NAILSMA board and NAILSMA
steering committee.
Throughout the meeting there were also reports to Traditional
Owners on the role of NAILSMA, and its actions through the projects
and its staff.
