Dharriwaa Elders Group - Aboriginal Australia, Walgett

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47 Fox St Walgett NSW Australia

Latest news: The Dharriwaa Elders Group is battling to keep operating, as it waits to hear of the success of a submission to the Department of SEWPaC for an annual project due to start 1 July 2012. The organisation has been battling for its sustainability since June 2010. We remain hopeful that Commonwealth and NSW governments will recognise the value of this Aboriginal community organisation's contributions to Walgett's future and to the success of government objectives, particulary the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery.

The Dharriwaa Elders Group completed its work designing a new Elders program to be conducted for Year 11 Walgett Community School Aboriginal Studies students - Winangay Gunimaa ("knowing mother country") in June 2012, which it hopes to implement in 2012-2013.
Dharriwaa Elders Group held Aboriginal Cultural Values training with trainers Rod Mason and Geoffrey Simpson and Walgett Elders Gladys Walford and George Fernando in May 2012.

Make an on-line donation to support the important activities of the Dharriwaa Elders Group. You can also make a donation to the Dharriwaa Elders Group premises purchase fundraising appeal which it has been conducting since 2006 direct by credit card, or by other methods described here.

Other news: Dharriwaa Elders Group launched its booklet "Burruguu Dharriwaa-gu - the creation of Narran Lakes" in June 2011
Dharriwaa Elders Group protocols for Welcomes conducted in Walgett were endorsed by the Walgett Gamilaraay Aboriginal Community Working Party in 2011.
Kevin Humphries MP (NSW Member for Barwon) launched the DEG's third cultural exhibition "Memories of Living Outside Walgett" on the 15 December 2010.
Dharriwaa Elders Group presented its Walgett Aboriginal Women's Workshops Report to the Walgett Gamilaraay Aboriginal Community Working Party for endorsement 23 February 2011. The Report publishes the findings of four workshops the DEG held to capture the priorities of Walgett Aboriginal women for inclusion into the Local Implementation Plan for Walgett of COAG's "Closing the Gap" RSD project which the DEG hopes will succeed.
Dharriwaa Elders Group held its AGM 21 December 2011 at which its 2010/11 Annual Report was endorsed. Other DEG reports can be found here.

Check out information about the projects and activities of the Dharriwaa Elders Group

Previous headlines from our www site include: Kevin Humphries MP launched the Dharriwaa Elders Group cultural exhibition "Memories of Living Outside Walgett" in December 2010;The Dharriwaa Elders Group ("DEG") unveiled in August 2010 an eternal flame and sign that states "The staff and members of the Dharriwaa Elders Group will always honour its founding Speaker George Rose OAM - respected leader and tireless worker for the Walgett community." The DEG's Thelma Thorne made a speech on behalf of the DEG.
The Commonwealth Government cut the DEG's Language Program completely on 30th June 2010, when it also reduced DEG's funding and activities under the Indigenous Heritage Program, extensively. One of the effects has been the necessity to stop publishing our monthly magazine Yundiboo which we have produced since 2000.
The DEG was granted a permit August 2010 by the NSW Government to take into its safekeeping a collection of culturally important items from a private property that were threatened by opal mining. The DEG made a presentation at the September 2010 Australian Rangelands Society Conference in Bourke. In November 2009 DEG completed an archaeology training survey to prepare reports for the NSW and Commonwealth governments about the extensive and previously unsurveyed extent of places of high Aboriginal cultural value in the area known as "OPA 4".

About the Dharriwaa Elders Group. The Dharriwaa Elders Group (DEG) was born 20 November 2000 after working together on projects since 1998. The Group took its name from one of its sacred sites - Narran Lakes - Dharriwaa (common meeting place) and its full members are Aboriginal people over 60 who live in Walgett. The DEG was auspiced by the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service until 1 July 2005, when it became autonomous. Projects of the Group aim to:

Support Aboriginal elders to resume leadership roles in the community, keeping active and healthy
promote local Aboriginal cultural knowledge and identity
develop the Walgett Aboriginal community

Winangay Gunimaa book cover

Left: the Elders Year 11 Aboriginal Studies lesson plan "Winangay Gunimaa - knowing mother country", completed by the DEG in June 2012. Right: Walgett Elders Gladys Walford and George Fernando with trainers Rod Mason and Geoffrey Simpson and DEG staff and Management Committee participants in Aboriginal Cultural Values training held by DEG in May 2012. They are seen here at lunch at Stoney Crossing.

book launch

Left: the language resource booklet "Burruguu Dharriwaa-gu - the creation of Narran Lakes, launched by the DEG in June 2011. Right: Visitors to the launch of Burruguu Dharriwaa-gu look on while DEG's Speaker Richard Lake introduces Principal Michael Claire to the resource, in June 2011.

DEG's Women's Report
Left: The DEG's Report for the Aboriginal Women's Workshops it convened in 2010 to inform COAG's "Closing the Gap" project. Right: Part of DEG's Wugan Gaay exhibition displaying wooden weapons made by Roy Barker.

If you wish to meet the Dharriwaa Elders Group write to
PO Box 174 Walgett NSW 2832, phone: 02 6828 2619
or email info@dharriwaaeldersgroup.org.au
All donations will be very gratefully received

Site Last Updated: 15 July 2012

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