Garrwa Elders teach at the ANU

Garrwa Elders teach at the ANU
Friday 8 March 2019

From 3 - 8th March CAEPR was honoured to have two Visiting Indigenous Fellows, Garrwa elders & artists from Borroloola, Northern Territory, Nancy McDinny & Stewart Hoosan. Garrwa elders have been working with CAEPR for the last 6 years to teach in a number of courses with Dr. Seán Kerins. In 2019 Nancy and Stewart talked with students in the ENVS2025/INDG2001 Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management course and in the MAAPD program INDG804 Australian Indigenous Policy. Nancy and Stewart spoke about Country and how the invasion of their lands was not a distant event, but an ongoing structural process seen today with the contamination of Country from mining. As part of their classes, they asked students to think about 'development' and why Aboriginal people must pay the price with the contamination of their lands and waters while whitefellas reap the benefits.

As part of their visit, Nancy and Steward spent time with CBE Dean Steven Roberts, to give him the story of Nancy’s painting WAR AT BLACKFELLA SPRINGS which documents the Killing Times in the Gulf Country 1870-1910, when over 600 Aboriginal people were murdered trying to defend their lands and waters. Nancy's painting depict depicts when a regiment of Native Police controlled by white officers hunted for family down and how her ancestors had to hide under the water to escaping the killing.

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Updated:  8 March 2019/Responsible Officer:  Centre Director/Page Contact:  CASS Marketing & Communications