Aboriginal Way

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 SA

Today, 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

The project is a collaborative piece created by Patterson

Brown is a proud descendent of the Wakaid Clan and Meriam

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

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

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

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

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

AW attended the address, asking Minister for Aboriginal

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.