A group of men from four Aboriginal nations came together at Gloucester to share, connect and learn from each other in line with NAIDOC Week 2021's theme, Heal Country.
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It was all part of the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance's Aboriginal Men's Master Camp. The four day event, running from Sunday June 27 until Wednesday June 30, saw the men sharing traditional cultural practices of making a range of tools and equipment.
The camp welcomed around a dozen men from the Biripi (Birrbay), Worimi, Dunghutti (Dhanggati) and Gumbaynggirr nations to spend time together making spears (gamay), boomerangs (barrgan), billy bags, fish nets and stringy bark canoes (guuyang). The four nations have Country that together stretches the span of the Mid North Coast.
Saltwater Freshwater looks to hold events like this on a regular basis, however, due to the COVID disruptions over the past 18 months, it was the first camp held since 2019.
For Biripi man Uncle Russ Saunders, the experience was about connecting and strengthening their cultures.
"This camp is all about bringing four nations together," Uncle Russ smiled. "Coming together and yarning, sharing cultural practices and connecting spiritually and empowering each other as Aboriginal custodians of this land."
One of the things they learned was that there was a crossover in the languages and similar cultural practices.
"It's teaching us to be more humble and respectful of the other's culture, land and language," Uncle Russ said.
Uncle John Kelly and Uncle Fred Kelly from the Dunghutti nation came along to teach the others how to make a canoe from stringy bark - a traditional skill that would have once been practiced across all four nations.
Uncle Vincent Cook also took part in the camp, he's the grandson of Jack Cook, a well-known Worimi stockman for the Australian Agricultural Company in the early 1900s in the Gloucester region.
Uncle Vincent's family ancestry represents a connection across three of the nations, Worimi, Biripi and Dunghutti. This is a similar family history story of Uncle John Thorpe, who was also taking part.
Saltwater Freshwater's Men's Aboriginal Projects Officer and camp organiser, Brentyn Lugnan is from the Gumbaynggirr nation, the farthest north of the four.
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Each day of the camp was packed full of activities, kicking off with breakfast at 8am and continuing in the evenings.
The tool and equipment making took place at Minimbah Gardens, located within Gloucester District Park, with the men happily continuing their work through the regular spurts of rain.
"It's the coming together of the three waters - saltwater, freshwater and skywater. Water holds memory," Uncle Russ explained.
For him, making a traditional bark canoe in the rain was a very spiritual experience.
NAIDOC Week 2021 is July 4 to 11, however, due to current COVID restrictions, many NAIDOC Week activities have been postponed or cancelled.
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Anne Keen
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
