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Bringing Culture back to men on Matuwa Kurrara Kurrara IPA

21 September 2021
Community Wiluna
Culture and Capability
A group of men dressed in casual outdoor wear stand shoulder-to-shoulder on stony and ochre coloured soil. Behind them are two vehicles and in the background is a claypan and blue sky.

The return to Country of Martu people from the community of Wiluna in WA helps in knowledge sharing and connecting the community to their heritage.

Ten wati (men) from the community of Wiluna in central WA recently held a return to Country trip to the Matuwa and Kurrara Kurrara Indigenous Protected Area, 2 hours away, to talk about law, culture and to visit important men’s sacred sites.

These are some of the most valuable parcels of land in the Martu people’s estate and their importance cannot be overstated.

Matuwa and Kurrara Kurrara are spoken about as places where many major Jukurrpa (dreaming) sites and Jukurrpa tjina (dreaming tracks) are found.

Dr Dorian Moro is the Environment and Operations Manager for Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginal Corporation (TMPAC), and supports the Wiluna Martu Rangers.

‘The groups include youth and Elders selected by community members ,’ Dorian said.

‘They are often from close family groups and come to share family stories and learnings.’

The trips play an important role in the cultural and spiritual development of Wiluna youth.

Exposure to Country with elder family members away from the town environment helps to build confidence in connecting to Country.

Also, the sharing of knowledge between elders and youth binds the generations and plays an important role in continuing knowledge and stories and connecting the community to their heritage.

‘TMPAC’s and the Wiluna Martu Ranger’s vision is to connect People, Culture, and Country, and to share knowledge and stories to younger generations,’ Dorian said.

‘Dreamtime stories are shared openly but to the correct initiated level of person and youth.’

The trips are dry trips (no alcohol) and food is made up of bush tucker found on Country and supplemented with food purchased from the local shop in town.

Dorian said the groups camp at important historical and sacred law sites such as claypans (for men) where there is historical connection to their forefathers. These are people who came in from the Western Desert areas to camp on pastoral country and work for the pastoralists.

‘Culture trips are and will remain a central focus into the future,’ Dorian said.

‘Men and ladies culture and heritage trips will continue with the support of IPA funding the Wiluna Martu Ranger Program, and other funding sources that support extended field trips to manage and learn about Country.’

Find out more

Through Indigenous Protected Area funding, the Australian Government supported Wiluna Martu Rangers to return to Country since 2015.

From mid-2020 the Tarlka Matuwa Piarku Aboriginial Corporation has led its own land management program with its own governance structure, creating increased opportunities for people to work on - and connect to - Country at the Matuwa and Kurrara Kurrara Indigenous Protected Area.