Aboriginal homelands & outstations
Homelands are proven to make Aboriginal people healthier and stronger, but they are expensive to live in and don't get much love from the government.
- 500
- Number of homeland communities in the Northern Territory. [20]
- 35%
- Percentage of Aboriginal people living in homelands in the Northern Territory. [20]
What homelands mean to Aboriginal people
Amnesty International advocating homelands. Homelands contribute significantly to Aboriginal peoples' health.
The homelands movement dates back to the 1970s and was created by Aboriginal people going back onto country for two broad reasons.
Aboriginal people were leaving major settlements because there was a high level of social dysfunction and political instability. Rising levels of petrol sniffing, marijuana, youth suicide, teenage pregnancy and disrespect for elders made them want to get away from bad influences.
Secondly they wanted to protect sacred sites, and to maintain customary ways of living that could only continue on country.
"Homelands give Aboriginal people a sense of 'home' and a sense of belonging while contributing to their cultural responsibilities of caring for their country and managing the natural resources of their land and seas," explains Northern Land Council CEO Kim Hill [1].
Homeland communities hold the language, the culture.—Lionel Fogarty, Aboriginal poet [10]
"It is also well-documented that homelands contribute significantly to Aboriginal people's overall health, well-being, and importantly, to their thriving art practice and industry which provides an economic base when none other exists."
Studies by the Menzies School of Health in Arnhem Land and at Utopia confirm this view [2] and indicate that Aboriginal people living on homelands are also less likely to be involved in substance abuse, poor eating habits and violent behaviours because they maintain their traditional lifestyle away from the influence of the big towns.
Aboriginal homelands are places where the ceremonial grounds are and "strong discipline comes through the spirits of our fathers talking through the land," explains Yingiya Guyula, a Yolngu studies lecturer at the University of Darwin [3].
No English words are good enough to give a sense of the links between an Aboriginal group and its homeland… our word 'land' is too spare and meagre.—Professor W.E.H. (Bill) Stanner in his 1968 Boyer Lecture, 'After the dreaming' [4]
"I am my homelands"
Watch Rosalie Kunoth-Monks from the Alyawarr and Anmatyerr Peoples explain 'homelands': "It holds your language, it holds your customary practice..."
Expensive food on homelands
Fresh vegetables are rare in remote community stores. Often they are also of poor quality and
very expensive. Photo: Cécile Geng, www.sxc.hu
The advantage of remoteness from big cities is also one of the biggest problems of homelands. A shopping basket of groceries worth A$240 in Cairns can cost as much as A$370 on Thursday Island and other remote communities [5], while income is generally lower.
The cost of fuel, freight and refrigeration all add up, and by the time food reaches a remote community it is far more expensive and far less fresh than it would be in urban regions.
No surprise that Aboriginal people in homelands turn to cheaper, poor-quality foods like soft drinks, sweets and deep fried products which last longer.
Many communities have just one shop, others no shop at all, and for some communities food needs to be flown in during the wet season when all access roads are closed. The lack of competition is another factor driving up prices.
In coastal areas fresh food is often delivered by weekly barges. On 'barge day', half a cauliflower can go for A$12 in remote areas [5]. Aged pensioners unable to make it to the shop as food is being unloaded miss out on the best and freshest produce.
During the tourist season, visitors buy most supplies [6].
Consequently people in these communities have one week of healthy supplies and eat high salt and high sugar foods the next, contributing to their poor health condition.
Sara Hudson, an analyst with the Centre for Independent Studies, suggests that Aboriginal people in homelands grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables to be independent of road closures and encourage individual responsibility for a healthy diet [11].
I refuse to pay $32 for six frozen chop sticks. —Ali Cobby Eckermann, Aboriginal poet [10]
| All prices in Australian Dollars [18] | Melbourne, VIC (Woolworths) | Katherine, NT (Woolworths) | Beswick/Wugularr remote community (Licensed store) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powdered milk | 6.44 | 9.50 | 14.95 |
| Loaf of multigrain bread | 1.79 | 2.28 | 3.00 |
| Weetbix cereal 1kg | 4.60 | 5.04 | 7.21 |
| Frozen vegetables 1kg | 1.71 | 3.99 | 7.01 |
| Vaalia double pack yoghurt | 3.20 | 2.55 | 3.54 |
| Tinned tuna, 425g | 2.35 | 3.65 | 6.90 |
| 12 eggs | 3.30 | 3.99 | 5.69 |
| Packet of Vita Wheat biscuits | 3.00 | 3.05 | 5.60 |
| 1kg lean beef (diced rump) | 14.92 | 5.63 | 10.84 |
| Bottled water 1.5l | 0.77 | 1.32 | 4.04 |
| Total | 42.08 | 41.00 | 68.78 |
Fact: Price for 6 apples at the Aboriginal community on Palm Island: $25. Unemployment rate: 97% [21].
A safe heaven
Many reasons speak for Aboriginal people living on homelands [7].
Escape from alcohol. Ahead of fortnightly 'barge weekends' when alcohol travels into the communities many young women and their grandparents flee the bigger centres and travel to their homelands to escape alcohol-related problems.
Prior to the Northern Territory Intervention in 2007, Aboriginal community elders were responsible for 80% of homelands being dry communities [17].
- Art and inspiration. Aboriginal artists appreciate the tranquility and spiritual connection
they get being on their homelands. They gain an income from selling their art.
I cannot paint when I'm not on my land. —Kathleen Ngal, Aboriginal artist from Utopia [20]
- Keeping culture alive. Living on their homeland Aboriginal people keep alive their cultural practices and knowledge. It gives them a purpose and encourages them to pass on their skills to the next generation.
- Strong relationships. By doing things together family members strengthen their relationships.
- Healthier country, healthier food. On homelands Aboriginal people hunt introduced species like
buffalo and pig. They improve the country and manage the land. They also harvest bush medicine. Less stress and more
exercise means better health.
Researchers found that for a small community of just over 1,200 people about $260,000 in treatment costs can be saved per year if there was greater involvement in 'caring for country' [15].
Homelands are like banks. Not for money but for security, knowledge and culture. —Jimmy Pascoe, traditional owner, Maningrida, West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory [7]
- 48%
- Percentage of Aboriginal children living in remote areas who spent at least one day a week with an Indigenous leader or Elder. [13]
- 23%
- Percentage of Aboriginal children in major cities who did the same [13].
- 23%
- Percentage of Aboriginal children in remote areas who who spent at least one day a week with an Indigenous leader or Elder [13].
- 67%
- Percentage of Aboriginal children in major cities who spent no time at all with, or did not have available, an Indigenous leader or Elder [13].
"We feel safe here"
This is what Aboriginal people from Mapuru said about their community which is 500 kilometres east of Darwin.
"Our fathers and grandfathers established this community – so we could be happy on our own land. So we could be happy, we could feel at home. We feel safe here.
And it is really for the children. We want our children to have a school where they learn their culture and language, and Yolngu [Aboriginal] and Balanda [western] ways together. This is a good place, good and quiet—good for our kids.
We don't want them going to Galiwin’ku [30 kms north-east of Mapuru] or other big places [where there are bad influences]. We want them in this safe place – at school in this place. We don't want to be pushed around by government. We want to be safe in our own home, away from places where there's lots of trouble." [12]
"These people don't respect our culture"
Following is an account by Mabel Tommy of the Yinhawangka people [9]. She talks about why she hates the community of Bindi Bindi, about 200kms north of Perth in Western Australia, and wants to go back to homes away in the bush.
"We hate [Bindi Bindi]. People are drunk, and the kids go through your room and steal your things. Things that you really want to keep and have kept for years. They'd go through the cupboards and take anything. They go through the freezer and take all of the food. Nobody stops them, no mother stopped them, the fathers are busy drinking and don't look after the kids who just go anywhere."
"They always make noises and the big people have no feeling for the old people. They make a lot of noise, they never think the old people have to rest. Night and day they go, drinking and music going full bore. Nobody stops them, and that's why I'm always growling at people at Bindi Bindi. I tell them, you fellas drink and don't know how to look after your kids. I never did any of these things, we'd have got a big hiding from our old people. These people don't respect our culture, nothing."
Little government money for homelands
- $16.5K
- Total money spent by the government over 10 years when the school in Gawa, Arnhem Land, was a government-funded Homeland Learning Centre [14].
- $538K
- Total money granted by the government over 6 years since the school in Gawa is a non-government, private school [14].
From the figures above you can see that the Australian government has not interest in funding government-run schools. When the school in Gawa was a Homeland Learning Centre, they were given discarded desks and chairs from the NT Department of Education.
After a decade the school still had no toilet, running water, or power supply, there was no fax machine, computer, photocopier or any of the other equipment usually found in a school while computers, satellite connections, printers and access to distance learning were provided to every remote school and 66 cattle stations in the NT [14].
A cattle station might have as many as one pupil, while some homeland schools have more than 40. (Read the full story: Build a Future for Our Children (PDF, 360KB))
The Aboriginal Land Rights Act (Northern Territory) ensures that anything that is built on lands trust land, including homelands, becomes owned by the traditional owners [7]. Hence governments have few incentives to spend money on homelands and instead inject it into bigger centres where it can own what it builds.
Policies which fail to support the ongoing development of homelands will lead to social and economic problems in rural townships that could further entrench Indigenous disadvantage and poverty. —Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner in 2010 [8]
Elders pledge for homeland support
In 2009 a delegation of elders from across East Arnhem Land visited Canberra and pleaded with politicians to help them to rescue future generations by allowing them to live on their homelands. The elders presented a petition of over 27,000 signatures urging the government to secure the future of homeland communities.
Problems with homelands
Apart from benefits homelands also have disadvantages.
During the wet season homelands can be inaccessible by land for extended periods of time. Flights are the only, albeit expensive, alternative.
Satellite services can fail during the wet season [16] meaning that emergency information is unavailable.
Also, it is very unusal for people living in outstations to have access to a computer and the Internet. In a small group of interviewed people, only 6% had a computer at home [19], while the interest for access was high. The main barrier to more computer access is money.
Resources
Read more about Aboriginal homelands on the site of Amnesty International.
Out of respect for Aboriginal culture I use Indigenous sources as much as possible.
[1] 'Council support for homelands', Koori Mail 442 p.16
[2] 'Papunya wary of NT policy', Koori Mail 452 p.10
[3] 'NT Govt silent on homelands', Koori Mail 445 p.16
[4] 'Portraits from a Land Without People', John Ogden, Cyclops Press 2009, p.8
[5] 'Inquiry told about high grocery costs', Koori Mail 448 p.10
[6] 'Community stores changes proposed', Koori Mail 465 p.9
[7] 'Why homelands are better for our people', Koori Mail 453 p.21
[8] 'Calma's final report points to brighter future', Koori Mail 468 p.7
[9] 'Karijini Mirlimirli', Noel Olive, Fremantle Arts Centre Press 1997 p.60
[10] 'Deadly Voices: An Intervention', Sydney Writers Festival, event 240, 23/5/2010
[11] 'Report finds stores plan not working', Koori Mail 479 p.41
[12] 'World Council of Churches listen in Mapuru', Community Update, 14/9/2010
[13] 'New figures paint grim gap picture', Koori Mail 485 p.7
[14] 'Build a Future for Our Children', Institute For Cultural Survival (www.culturalsurvival.org.au), 7/2009
[15] 'Millinos can be saved - study', Koori Mail 495 p.56
[16] www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-06/indigenous-fears-nbn-digital-divide/2827142
[17] 'Children of the Intervention', Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Concerned Australians, 6/2011 p.5
[18] 'Children of the Intervention', loc. cit. p.13
[19] 'Study reveals limited web, computer use', Koori Mail 506 p.19
[20] 'It's far from Utopia - Amnesty report', Koori Mail 508 p.16
[21] 'Mayor tells of woes on Palm Island', Koori Mail 512 p.30