Aboriginal Way

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

At time of interview, he was working as a project officer in

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

Balya provides representation and opportunity for First

“When I first started, I was usually almost the only female

“I’m big on mentoring, I live by ‘you can’t be what you

“Seeing First Nations artists up there is really welcoming

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

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:

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.

Nukunu Wapma Thura (Aboriginal Corporation) [NWTAC] recently led a cultural burn at Wilmington alongside Firesticks Alliance, supported by SA Native Title Services.

Nukunu fire practitioners in uniform demonstrated traditional knowledge-sharing principles about the inherent sacredness of fire to the Nukunu People; how it interacts with Nukunu culture and their understanding of traditional ecological and property management.

The two-day workshop, which was held on a parcel of land that was returned to the Nukunu People from a private citizen in 2021, brought together invited community members from Nukunu, Narungga,
Ngadjuri, Barngarla, and Kaurna nations.

This group learned about the ways cultural burning helps to maintain biodiversity, stimulate plant regeneration and control invasive species to improve the country's health.

NWTAC aims to use this Cultural Burn as a prototype to develop a property management plan for their Wilmington property as a place for learning culturally integrated property management practices on Country.

The traditional practice of Cultural Burning on Country had been prohibited on Nukunu Country due to the impact of colonisation and the removal of the Nukunu People from their Country.

However, the UN Declaration on Human Rights summarises the rights of First Nations People to practice their culture. This means that First Nations People of Australia have the legal rights outlined under the Native Title Act 1993, which endorses the practice of culture, including the use of fire – making the practice of Fire Nations fire culture a human right.

The reappearance of this important traditional practice demonstrates a genuine act of Reconciliation and holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Nukunu People and their ancestors.