Panel Discussion – Healing Country

Thursday 23 March, 6.00pm-7.30pm

Join Badimia First Nations researcher and writer, Dr Carol Dowling, Gobawarrah-Yinhawangka Traditional Owners, Julie Walker and Roy Rommywere, and Yanyuwa/Jingili filmmaker Michael Bonner, as they discuss affinities in their approaches to healing country.

A recent Federal Court action formally recognised the Gombawarrah-Yinhawangka as Traditional Owners in a determination of Native Title for about 3,423 square kilometres of land in the Pilbara. Michael Bonner worked with the community to produce a 24-hour cycle documenting Country, from dawn to dawn; an expansive and immersive contemporary expression of land and sky relations in the iron ore rich Country around Paraburdoo.

In Badimia Country, near Lake Moore and south of Mt Magnet, Dr Carol Dowling and her twin sister, the artist, Dr Julie Dowling, are working with family to return land to health - rehabilitating Country. Using locally-sourced seeds and cycles of renewal based on First Nations knowledge, improvements in the health of the people have come with regular visits to Country and renewing and extending traditions. This has led to a growing number of the Badimia nation people working together on Country.

Working with the Badimia Bandi Barna Aboriginal Corporation, and as its Chair for the first three years, Dr Carol Dowling has assisted development of a healthy country plan, which is now the basis for a joint management agreement for a new Badimia National Park.

------------------

Image: Gobawarrah-Yinhawangka, Paraburdoo area, photo by Michael Bonner