Aboriginal Way

First Nations Healing (FNH), formerly Nunga Mi:Minar, is a family and domestic violence support service, which recently celebrated 50 years of operating in South Australia. The rebrand represents a shift in their service delivery, which now includes supporting not only victims but also perpetrators of family and domestic violence. In this episode, FNH CEO, Olive Bennell, and Strategy, Policy and Partnership Lead, Clinton Bennell, explain the organisation's new name, direction and why we should avoid labels like "perpetrator" and "victim", and instead focus on individual and family healing. For support from FNH, please call 8367 6474 or visit firstnationshealing.com.au. You can also call 13YARN on 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days) and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter. No shame, no judgment - just a safe place to yarn.

Faith Thomas AM, the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to play for Australia in any sport, has died at aged 90. The Adnyamathanha woman, who was born at the Nepabunna Aboriginal Mission in 1933 to an Aboriginal mother and German father was selected to play cricket for South Australia in the 1950’s, before going on to play Test Cricket for Australia against England at Melbourne's Junction Oval in 1958 as a fast bowler. Thomas remains one of just four Indigenous Australians to have played in Test for Australia, alongside Jason Gillespie, Ash Gardner and Scott Boland. A survivor of the Stolen Generations policy, Aunty Faith was raised at Colebrook Home in the Finders Rangers alongside friend Lowitja O’Donoghue, and both women were among the first group of Aboriginal nurses to graduate from the Royal Adelaide Hospital in the 1950’s. In 2019, she was awarded the Order of Australia for her services to cricket and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The Adelaide Strikers also honour her by playing for the Faith Thomas Trophy each year. Aboriginal Way did an interview about the life of Faith Thomas AM a couple of years ago with Tyson Baird, who bonded with her over a shared love of cricket whilst working as an Occupational Therapist in her hometown of Port Augusta. He then went on to co-produce the 2021 NITV documentary about her life called “Before Her Time”, which is available to watch on SBS on Demand, available to watch here - Before Her Time | SBS On Demand Please enjoy this repeat episode of Aboriginal Way, and note that Thomas's family have granted permission to use her name and images.

Over the last two days, the Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, the Federal Attorney-General Julian Leeser, the Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart Pat Dodson, met with the Federal Voice to Parliament Referendum Working Group and Referendum Engagement Group on Kaurna Land. The Working Group also met with Acting Premier Susan Close and the SA Attorney General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher, to discuss progress towards a First Nations Voice to Parliament. The working group was excited to hear about the progress here, and supports South Australia’s movement to ensure that voices in remote and regional communities are heard. The Working Group received an update on the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022, which will be further considered by the Senate next week. The Working Group continued its discussion on the wording of the proposed amendments to the Constitution to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament and progressed the wording of the question on the ballot paper. The Government will introduce the Constitution Alteration Bill to Parliament in the final sitting week of March.  The bill will define the question Australians will be asked at the referendum and contain the proposed amendment to the Constitution. This will be followed by a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry. This process will provide Australians, including First Nations people, with the chance to make formal submissions on the proposed constitutional amendments and the question to be put to the Australian people. The group addressed the media on Friday morning, the 17th March to discuss progress and tell South Australians about the special Parliament sitting day on Sunday, 26th March when all South Australians are invited to take free public transport a partially closed-off North Terrace and hear the South Australians Voice to Parliament Bill officially passed in Parliament and proclaimed by the Governor of South Australia. Hear directly from SA Attorney General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher, Referendum Working Party representative Thomas Major, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney and Federal Attorney-General Julian Leeser....

Legendary Wiradjuri tracker Alec Riley was the first Indigenous police sergeant on the New South Wales Police Force, where he served for 40 years from 1911. In parallel to that now, many years later, his Great-Great nephew Daniel Riley has been named the first Indigenous director of an Australian dance company, in his new role as Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre. In one of his first works in this role, Tracker, Daniel explores the path his Great-Great Uncle forged between the enforced colonial system of the time and his own Wiradjuri lore. This remarkable and deeply personal story is brought to life on stage by a team of talented First Nations creatives using different pillars of storytelling such as ceremony, music, theatre, and contemporary dance, inviting audiences to engage with the work, not simply observe it. After sold-out seasons in both Sydney and Perth, Tracker will be performed across eight days as part of the Adelaide Festival from 10-18 March at The Odeon Theatre in Norwood. It will return to South Australia in October and November, touring across the state with the support of Country Arts SA. “It is almost impossible to leave Tracker without feeling deeply moved.” The Saturday Paper Australian Dance Theatre offers First Nations community members the opportunity to attend dress rehearsals and preview performances for free. Find out more at Australian Dance Theatre (adt.org.au). Book tickets to see Tracker at the Adelaide Festival here - Tracker - Adelaide Festival

Dr Jared Thomas, a Nukunu man from the Southern Flinders Ranges is a Research Fellow for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Material Culture and Arts at the South Australian Museum and UniSA. He is also a curator, arts administrator, international award-winning author and all-around change maker. Dr Thomas received a Churchill Fellowship in 2019 for his subject matter “investigating colonised people’s interpretive strategies in permanent gallery displays in Aotearoa, Norway, Finland, Canada and the US”, and he recently returned from eight weeks traveling to these countries. Aboriginal Way sat down with him recently to chat about his experiences…

A draft bill proposing a model for the First Nations Voice to South Australia’s Parliament has been released, following a statewide engagement process with First Nations people, leaders and communities from August to October this year. If this legislation gets up, it will be the first state-based Voice to Parliament in the country. Aboriginal Way spoke with South Australia’s Commissioner for First Nations Voice, Dale Agius, who has commenced his second tour of engagement around the state, about how it will work.

Purrumpa is set to be the largest national gathering of First Nations arts and culture convened by the Australia Council in 50 years. To be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Kaurna Land from Monday, 31st October to Friday, 4th November, its aim is to host considered conversations about First Nations arts and cultures, across a range of industries; to strengthen and grow the sector into the next 50 years, as well as celebrate the incredible achievements of the past 50 years. We spoke to Australia Council’s Executive Director for First Nations Arts and Culture Franchesca Cubillo to find out more.