Yaama! Welcome to our monthly CIE Newsletter! We are really excited to share with you some news about our CIE (Community Is Everything) campaign, our Firestick Flick for this month and much more!
But first, let us introduce ourselves – Uncle Rodney Dillon is a Palawa man, and our Indigenous Rights Advisor. Kacey Teerman is a Gomeroi woman, and our Strategic Campaigner. And the newest member of the team is Rach McPhail, Gomeroi woman and our Campaign Organiser.
Together, we make up the Indigenous Rights team at Amnesty International Australia. We work to amplify the voices of First Nations communities, and campaign for increased funding for community-led diversion programs and a fairer and more humane youth justice system. We are honoured to be able to do this work for our communities, and couldn’t do it without the support of activists right around the country just like you!
CIE News
Recently the Indigenous Rights team travelled to QLD to campaign on Youth Justice and Raise the Age. QLD locks up more kids than anywhere else in Australia, from the age of 10, in youth prisons and dangerous watch houses – and First Nations kids make up nearly 72% of the incarcerated youth population. With both major parties maintaining a tough on crime approach, and their election policies failing to address the root causes of crime, it was important for us to use the QLD election as a moment within our ongoing national campaign to garner awareness and support for First Nations-led solutions as an alternative to locking kids up in prisons.
We visited Bindal and Wulgurukaba land (Townsville) first, where we met with Amnesty activists and First Nations community members, and attended an excellent community meeting organised by the Queensland Community Alliance.
Then in the week leading up to the QLD election, we visited Yaggera, Turrbal, Yugembeh and Kombumerri Country (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba), where we filmed content for our socials, met with Amnesty activists and First Nations community members, wobble-boarded in King George Square, found some of our gig posters around Meanjin, and dropped into Sobah Cafe, which is a First Nations business on Kombumerri Country in Burleigh Heads.
Sadly, the election outcome was not as we hoped, and the CLP was voted in with their “Adult Crime, Adult Time” promise – so, as Uncle Rodney Dillon said, “the hard work is yet to come“. It’s really important for Amnesty activists to continue to support our campaign to make the State, Territory and Federal Governments understand that kids don’t belong in prisons.
Next up, the Indigenous Rights team will be coming together to strategise a plan for the lead up to the Federal election and beyond – in the meantime, you can support our campaign by signing the QLD petition, NT petition (both can be signed by any Australian resident), and getting involved with Firestick Flicks by hosting a film screening at home with your family or within your local community (see further details below).
Firestick Flicks
Firestick Flicks is a monthly film club, which aims to encourage Amnesty activists, staff, and supporters to watch First Nations films and documentaries, by providing supporting resources, discussion prompts, and reflections to foster deep learning and understanding on the path to reconciliation.
This month’s Firestick Flicks film is the Audrey Napanangka documentary, which is available to stream for free on SBS on Demand.
(Content warning: systemic racism and oppression of First Nations peoples, mature themes)
Audrey Napanangka tells the story of Warlpiri matriarch Audrey, who was born at a time when the world was changing for the people in the Central Australian Desert. Settler colonisation was permeating the desert and forced changes and the fusion of two worlds shifted Audrey’s life forever.
Now in her 70’s, Audrey looks after her extended Warlpiri family from her home in Alice Springs with her Sicilian partner Santo, raising young people to walk in many worlds, by centering culture, language, and Lore in their lives alongside mainstream education. To Audrey it is important that the children can navigate and thrive in two worlds, know the language, laws and cultures of their Ancestors and their connection to the land and skies of the central desert that is their birthright.
The intimate footage filmed over 10 years in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Yuendumu and Audrey’s Warlpiri country Mount Theo, showcases a heartwarming story about the power of kinship and family in what is known as Australia. Through the life of Audrey, this documentary powerfully addresses themes relating to the ongoing impacts of colonisation and the resilience of Aboriginal peoples and cultures.
Winangala (Listen)
Warrangu; River Story – Dobby
Warrangu; River Story was written and composed by Dobby, a proud Filipino, Murrawarri and Ngemba composer, rapper, producer and drummer. This incredible, ARIA award-winning album is filled with powerful orchestral sounds and energetic beats, along with his voice and those of fellow knowledge holders, describing the plight of the NSW river system due to water theft, mass fish kills and high levels of blue green algae. The stories on this album follow three rivers that form the cultural boundaries in Brewarrina NSW: the Bogan River to the South, the Culgoa River to the North, and the Barwon River to the East – and gives an urgent call to take action and care for Country.
On the 2024 ARIA red carpet, Dobby said:
“This is for the rivers. This is for the 3 million people who depend on the Murray Darling Basin, not just Blackfullas, not just whitefullas, but everybody coz water is life. So if I can make something that resonates with people in that way, then this is great, I’m happy to be here.”
Biibabiiba (Book)
Mindy Woods is a proud Bundjalung chef and author, who you might recognise from her two seasons on Masterchef (2012, and 2022 ‘Fans and Favourites’). Mindy has just released her cookbook, ‘Karkalla at Home’, which is a nod to her restaurant Karkalla, named after the coastal succulent that her Nan taught her to gather as a child.
Besides being an absolutely STUNNING book, it is filled with stories and profiles on more than 40 native ingredients, which are showcased in more than 110 recipes, including breakfasts, mains, special occasion dishes, drinks and desserts. We also love that Mindy has shared information on the Bundjalung seasons and a map of Country.
Blak Business
Sobah is a First Nations owned and led business founded on Kombumerri Country in 2017 by Gamilaroi man and psychologist, Dr Clinton Schultz.
Australia’s first non-alcoholic craft beer company, Sobah’s vegan-friendly range of products are infused with native fruits and spices, such as Lemon Aspen Pilsner, Finger Lime Cerveza, Pepperberry IPA and Davidson Plum GF Ale.
In addition to their craft beers, Sobah recently opened a café in Burleigh Heads which offers a fusion of native ingredients with contemporary cuisine that complements their range of beverages.
From Sobah’s website:
We’re breaking down the stigma of socialising sober. You can enjoy a unique tasting non-alcoholic craft beer while out with mates.
We promote healthy lifestyle choices and wellness, social equity, sustainability, smash stereotypes, unite people and of course, our beers quench thirst.
A purpose-led business, Sobah exists to raise positive awareness and promote First Nations’ culture, arts, language, and history. We ethically source our ingredients and knowledge.
Sobah is the truly social drink.
Ngaru gayaa! Cheers!
Mob Who Inspire Us
Jarin Baigent is a Wiradjuri woman, founder and CEO of Trading Blak, Jarin Street, and also CEO of Wyanga Aged Care Services.
Jarin champions ‘self-determination in action’, and is a massive advocate for supporting 100% First Nations owned businesses. So much so, she started a viral Instagram trend called #WearItBlakWednesday, where Trading Blak followers are encouraged to post a photo of themselves wearing their fave Blak products on Wednesdays to shine spotlights on amazing First Nations businesses.
Jarin also warns about ‘Blak-cladding’, where non-Indigenous businesses attempt to make themselves appear First Nations, seemingly preying on the unsuspecting buyer who is looking to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.
In the lead up to the festive season, Jarin recently posted this really handy resource to help know how to support 100% First Nations owned businesses:
Maliyaa (Friend) – Activist Shout Out
This month’s shout out goes to Grayson McCarthy-Grogan – First Nations activist and long-time supporter of the Indigenous Rights team at Amnesty.
Over the time Grayson has supported Amnesty, he has protested outside Dondale with us, and helped out at our Picnic for Change in the lead up to the Voice Referendum. Most recently, when our team was in the NT in the lead up to the election, Grayson went out of his way to connect us with First Nations-led diversion programs that he knows, went out letterboxing in the Darwin heat, and helped out at our Raise the Age rally outside NT Parliament House.
Thanks so much Grayson – we appreciate you!!
Do you know of an Amnesty Activist or Action Group in your local area who is doing some really great work in fighting for Indigenous rights and amplifying First Nations voices? Send us a short yarn (50-100 words) to tell us about the work they’ve done, so we can put a shout out in our next issue.
Please send to activism@amnesty.org.au with subject “Activist Shout Out”.
Coming up next month:
January 26: Invasion/Survival Day
This is a day of mourning for First Nations communities, and should be a day of reflection on our shared history for the entire nation.
First Nations communities around the country will start the day with dawn services before taking to the streets for Invasion Day rallies and community events such as Yabun.
Amnesty’s Indigenous Rights team encourages all activists and supporters to find out what is being organised by the First Nations community in your local area, and go along to show your support.
January 26 is also the anniversary of the day the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country in 1972, when First Nations activists set up umbrellas and tents on the lawns opposite the Old Parliament House. The Embassy is still standing strong today, and is a hub for First Nations land rights and sovereignty.
Thank you to Common Ground for their excellent dates of significance resource, where you can find further information about these dates.
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