Future Dreaming Conference: Session 1

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The AHED Project (the not for profit arm of Why Warriors) held its first conference on 24th May 2014 in Melbourne in collaboration with Manna Gum, TEAR Australia, Surrender, Essendon Baptist Church and Tabor College, titled: Future Dreaming: Purpose, Passion & Power in Remote Indigenous Communities

Videos of the main plenary sessions are now available for viewing:

Session 1: Joanne Garnggulkpuy (Managing Director, Yalu Marnggithinyaraw) and Gwenda Baker (Monash University)

Title: The history of economic activity of the Yolngu people in Arnhem Land – then and now.

About the presenters:

Joanne Garnggulkpuy is an experienced teacher, Wangurri elder and social researcher. A co-founder and now Managing Director of the Yalu’ Marnggithinyaraw Research Centre at Galiwin’ku, she has guided and mentored many research projects, helped develop the Yothu Yindi school curriculum, has been involved in Menzies School of Health research and has been Secretary and Chair of the Council for Aboriginal Alcohol Program Services, NT. Garnggulkpuy is currently Manager of Yalu which is working on the Stronger Communities for Children Program with the Red Cross; and a Cultural Mentor Program.  The Yalu IPS Program is teaching young children and families about kinship systems and Yolngu culture.

Dr. Gwenda Baker is a Professional Historian with a long relationship with the people at Galiwin’ku. In 2010-2011 she was a co-researcher with Joanne Garnggulkpuy on a project recording Yolngu stories about life on Elcho Island during the time of the Methodist Mission. She has written on the intersections between Aboriginal religious beliefs and Christianity; the re-interpretation of missionary activity by Aboriginal leaders; Aboriginal women and their spiritual, social and political leadership; and the fight for Land Rights. Gwenda is currently the Australian Religious History Fellow at the State Library at New South Wales and Adjunct Research Fellow at the Monash Indigenous Centre.

Please click here to view the other conference sessions:

Session 2: Tim Trudgen (AHED Project team leader and Director of Why Warriors)
Title: How did we get here? The social, political and economic story of Arnhem Land and hopeful ways forward.

Session 3: Jonathan Cornford (co-founder, Manna Gum)
Title: The Road to Restoration: So many attempts at ‘helping’ Indigenous communities have proved counter-productive. What does the Bible tell us about what healing and restoration requires of Indigenous communities and those who would walk with them?

 

Gwenda&JoanneFD

About Richard Trudgen

Richard was born on Wiradjuri country. His conception Spirit Well site was near the top of Gaanha-bula (two shoulders) on Mount Canobolas, close to the city of Orange in NSW. He grew up along the Belubula River (stony river or big lagoon), near the small town of Canowindra (home or camping place), a key Wiradjuri traditional homeland. In his late teens, he was a lead guitarist in a rock band with two of his brothers and two friends called the South Side Five. He trained as a fitter and turner. He arrived in Arnhem Land in the NT in 1973 to volunteer for 12 months. He was compelled to learn Yolngu Matha and remained to work alongside some of the most traditional First Nation Australians, the Yolngu People. Trained as a community worker-educator, he speaks Djambarrpuyŋu to a deep legal, economic, and medical level. He has now collaborated with Yolŋu people for over 45 years. He was the CEO of Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS) for 10 years, during which he developed the Discovery Education methodology with Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra OAM and also established Yolŋu Radio in 2003. He was asked by the Yolngu elders to write "Why Warriors Lie Down and Die" and to train mainstream Balanda to understand Yolngu law and culture. He ran ‘Bridging the Gap’ seminars and corporate workshops across Australia, focusing on cultural competency and cross-cultural communication. He is currently the CEO of Why Warriors Pty Ltd, a community development social enterprise working with Yolngu people. He spends his days writing, producing podcasts, building an online learning centre for Yolngu, creating videos, developing online cross-cultural training materials, running workshops for Yolngu and Balanda, and working with Yolngu to develop family businesses.

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  1. Future Dreaming Conference: Session 3 •

    […] Session 1: Joanne Garnggulkpuy (Managing Director, Yalu Marnggithinyaraw) and Gwenda Baker (Monash U… Title: The history of economic development in Arnhem Land – then and now. […]

  2. Future Dreaming Conference: Session 2 •

    […] Session 1: Joanne Garnggulkpuy (Managing Director, Yalu Marnggithinyaraw) and Gwenda Baker (Monash U… Title: The history of economic development in Arnhem Land – then and now. […]

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