Aboriginal Way

How do Aboriginal groups reach native title status and what happens to them when they do?

Today we're speaking with the CEO of South Australian Native Title Services, Keith Thomas, to find out more about:

•the services needed to reach native title status

•the services available after native title is claimed

•support and services available to Aboriginal groups here in South AustraliaIf you're a regular listener, you might be aware that Aboriginal Way news, which includes this radio show and podcast, our quarterly newspaper and our online news service, are all publications of South Australian Native Title Services, better known as SANTS.

Today we're speaking with the CEO about SANTS' role as the native title provider for South Australia and what services it can provide to South Australian Aboriginal groups both to reach native title status, and to provide support and assistance afterwards.

If you're part of an Aboriginal group who is interested in finding out more about the types of services SANTS offers and if they can offer support to your group, contact SANTS on 8110 2800 or free call 1800 010 360.

The dingo is often referred to as a pest - at least to farmers - but it is also a significant living feature in First Nations culture and important within the Australian ecological system.

Wild Dog is the first artistic outcome of a multi-year cultural maintenance and revival project that will connect the dingo story from Kaurna and Narungga country in South Australia to Lardil Country in Mornington Island, Qld, including cultural links stretching to the Wild Dog story for the Bunun people in Taiwan.

Kaurna/Narungga artist Jacob Boehme conceived this project and artistically directed artists and communities across five Nations: Narungga (SA), Kaurna (SA), Lardil (Qld), Kaiadilt (Qld) and Bunun (Taiwan) in order to preserve and maintain the wild dog story. This included extensive consultation with with more than 50 Narungga and Kaurna Elders and community members.

The result is an immersive exhibition and installation at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute presented by Tarnanthi Festival as part of Illuminate Adelaide, produced by Country Arts SA and Insite Arts International.

For many Aboriginal language groups across South Australia, the word 'tjindu' translates to sun or sunshine, so it was the perfect choice to name a foundation whose purpose is to help Aboriginal children and young people shine their brightest.

The Tjindu Foundation aims to build resilience, school retention and employment prospects for the Aboriginal students who participate in their engagement and cultural education programs.

When April Lawrie and Pauly Vandenbergh established the Aboriginal community-controlled organisation at the end of 2019/early 2020, they had no idea that activities would quickly come to a grinding halt, given a certain global pandemic - before they'd really even got started.

But as their roles as South Australia's Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, and the National Diversity Talent Manager at the AFL respectively would suggest, this did not stop April and Pauly.

Now, two and a half years later, Tjindu's programs are helping young people shine.

The Wangayarta Memorial Park was created specifically to rebury Kaurna ancestorial remains being returned from museums and universities.

If you haven't already, go back and listen to our first episode about Wangayarta, on December 9 2021, which explains the backstory of the memorial park.

In this episode, we hear from Kaurna Elders, Uncle Moogy Sumner and Aunty Madge Wanganeen, who've been involved in the reburials of their ancestors disturbed from the north and west of Adelaide.

"If you rebury our ancestors into the place where they came from, someone is going to come and dig them up again because they want to put something else there... another building, another railway track, another road. But at Wangayarta, no one is going to go there and disturb them Old People, they're there to rest now," said Uncle Moogy Sumner.

"It's another chapter for our people, in doing the right thing with our ancestors. I'm so blessed to be a Kaurna Elder woman to be put in this position and to help other communities in getting ready for their reburials," said Kaurna Elder, Aunty Madge Wanganeen.

Landscape SA has released its ten-year State Landscape Strategy.

South Australia's landscape boards, peak bodies, local and state government agencies, and other landscape management stakeholders have worked together to develop the strategy.

The document outlines seven priorities for the landscape boards and their communities to consider in their land management practices.

Landscape stakeholder, Travis Thomas is the co-chair of the First Nations of South Australia Aboriginal Corporation and says the strategy recognises Aboriginal people's connection to Country.

"We've been providing input into the inclusion of First Nations throughout all landscape policy, and there is a good section in there which emphasises having First Nations involved," said Nukunu man Travis Thomas.

First Nations SA is the peak body for Aboriginal groups across South Australia, acting as a united voice on cultural heritage.

Aboriginal Way asked Mr Thomas to explain how each priority could be implemented using First Nations knowledge.

Today - Friday, 3 June, 2022 marks 30 years since the 1992 Mabo decision by the High Court of Australia.

The landmark decision disproved 'terra nullius' (land belonging to no-one) and led to the native title act the following year.

Osker Linde, the Deputy Principal Legal Officer at SA Native Title Services joined us on the show to explain the complexities of the native title system.

"I wanted to make the flagpoles visible to members of the public walking past Government House so they're able to see the Australian flag, the flag of South Australia, the Australian Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag flying side by side in a prominent position, permanently." - SA Governor Frances Adamson.

The four flags were raised at a flag dedication ceremony at the beginning of Reconciliation Week last Friday. It is the first time the Indigenous flags have been flown permanently in Government House's 183 year history. Previously they have been flown from the roof for special occasions only.

South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher raised the Aboriginal flag; Indigenous AFL executive Tanya Hosch raised the Torres Strait Islander flag; World War II veteran, 102 year old Keith "Chook" Fowler raised the national Australian flag and Sacred Heart College student Lara Nguyen, whose parents came from Vietnam, raised the South Australian state flag.

Listen to our interview with South Australian Governor Frances Adamson about it here.

iDreaming tv is a South Australian Indigenous screen and new media arts organisation which has just launched a brand new online channel, dedicated to showcasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork and media content.

Funded by the Australian Government's Indigenous Languages and Arts program, the online channel 12 years in the making aims to change the landscape for Aboriginal artists by offering them a platform where they can display or sell their work and connect with other artists.

iDreaming tv is the result of a strategy called "In Front of the Future", the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Screen and New Media Arts Strategy for South Australia 2020-2030, which came from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, agencies and community organisations across SA surveyed.

Take a listen to our interview with coordinator David Wilson about it.

Check out iDreaming tv at idreamingtv.org/.

Last week, Aboriginal Way sat down with South Australia's first Aboriginal Attorney-General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Honourable Kyam Maher.

We found out more about his background and what has got him to where he is today, and asked him about pressing issues in the sector such as his plans for progress on the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

Recently, Aboriginal Way took a trip to Warraparinga to drop into the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, run by Southern Cultural Immersion.

Warraparinga, meaning 'Windy Place' in Kaurna language, is a nature reserve in Bedford Park at Marion, and a site of cultural significance for the Kaurna people. It is associated with the Tjilbruke Dreaming story and the beginning of the Tjilbruke Trail.

Southern Cultural Immersion hold musical performances and markets against this backdrop. They also offer cultural training, community engagement, art and cultural tours alongside their gallery and shop space, which stock artworks and products from Aboriginal artists and businesses, as well as merch of their own.

Aboriginal Way visited the Centre very early in its operations last year, so it was good to go back and speak with its owner Corey Turner, and events and marketing director, Eve Gregory, to see how the Centre has evolved since then.