NOW MORE THAN EVER - WE NEED STRONG WOMEN CARING FOR HEALTHY COUNTRY

Words by Dr Vanessa Barnett, Indigenous Content Specialist at WWF-Australia

It was a Monday evening, my first ever in Darwin. I am a proud Yamatji Badimia woman originally from Western Australia (where the weather is notoriously challenging during the summer months). But after nearly a decade living in the iconic, predictable ‘cloud with a chance of cloud’ chill of Wurundjeri Country, I’d all but lost my stamina for the heat that was somehow still around after the sun had long set.

Travelling with a small group of strong women proudly representing WWF-Australia and the University of Queensland at the Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum, we arrived at the campsite on Limilngan-Wulna Country in the Northern Territory after a very delayed flight. We were strong, proud, tired and very late. We’d sadly missed the welcome ceremony and all the women had retired to their tents for the night. It was almost silent, apart from the distinctly new sounds of nature. 

It was my first time at the forum (held annually since 2019), and in my mind it was going to be obvious to everyone. My pillow that night was made out of tomorrow’s pyjamas. Then morning broke and I unzipped my tent to a sight that brought everything into focus.

I woke to find that I was a tiny fibre woven into an entire landscape of strong women brought together by their love for healthy Country and supporting their fellow muni (women) who care for it. Muni who were terrible at camping were welcome too. And thankfully I was in excellent company to address my notable knowledge gaps.

“I absolutely love this forum,” says WWF-Australia’s First Nations Program Manager, proud Yuin woman and fellow forum participant, Rosie Goslett-King. “It's my third Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum. Every time I come, I leave feeling a little bit more connected, a bit more empowered, a bit more uplifted, and more hopeful. It's so amazing hearing from all these women.”

Rosie is not alone in her sentiment. As we made our way from our tents to the meeting area of the camp, the silent darkness from the night before was now a vibrant concoction of colourful nature, laughter and chatter. Strong women, painting, weaving, singing, and working together to make an impact on Country.

The theme for National Reconcilation Week this year is ‘Now More than Ever’. Now more than ever, we need Strong Women caring on Country. It’s an honour to introduce some of the incredible strong women I had the honour of meeting and speaking with, these are the words they shared with me during the conference.

“Attending the Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum makes me feel alive, and it makes me just feel so happy,” says Arrernte woman from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and Central Land Council member Jody Kopp. “When we come together, the feeling is overwhelming, but also just so powerful, the power that we have as one voice and all of us together. You just feel like, That's my tribe.”

It was only a few years ago in 2019 that the Strong Women for Healthy Country Network began with a tight group of strong indigenous women and a shared vision. 

Now, this unique network, proudly hosted by Mimal Land Management, has expanded to 200+ members, brought together by their passion for nurturing Country and supporting strong Indigenous women committed to caring for nature and community.

Mimal Ranger Shantelle Miller reveals her connection to Country and remains strong “to make sure that we look after our native flora and fauna”. For Shantelle, this bond to nature spans generations and carries deep responsibility.

“My earliest experience with nature is from the day I was born,” Shantelle reveals. “I was born at a time back in the eighties when most of the Northern Territory was still very pristine and wild. We were able to go out bush and hunt and forage. We were able to utilise and practise our Culture that was bestowed upon us as an Indigenous race for over 65,000 years.”

For Shantelle, the need to nurture Country is driven by the significance of what’s at stake. "That's Mother Earth. If we don't have no Earth, we do not have a home.” 

For many language groups, culture and ancient Traditional Knowledge dictates that some aspects of looking after Mother Earth are things only women can do. They are women’s business. “Women's role in caring for Country is usually quite different from men,” Rosie says. “Mob from different areas have different protocols, different rules, different roles. For the women, sometimes there are species that the men or the women look after.”

For Aunty Anita Painter, Elder, community leader and educator, initiatives like the Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum can identify and nurture the next generation of community leaders. “This forum, it's for Indigenous women, our leadership role. Forums like the Strong Women for Healthy Country Forum are all about empowering ourselves because we wanna do that for our younger generation girls as well. It’s all about learning from and sharing with each other.”

As a Northern Territory Youth Round Table member and Central Land Council representative at only 18, Jody’s daughter Armani Francois is already signalling a bright future of meaningful impact. What is making it even clearer is the impact attending the forum is having on her.

“Coming in yesterday off the plane from Alice and walking into this, I just instantly got goosebumps,” Armani says. “I was like, ‘Wow, there's so many women.’ And I think, I don't know if I'm the only one, but you can just feel this immense energy and this kind of gravitation towards each other.”

“I don't think it's always been rainbows and sunny days,” admits Armani - attending the week-long forum just after returning from the three-day Hands on Heart Youth Voice National Conference. “Once I hit home soil, I just rejuvenated after the conference, and I just felt so refreshed and so ready to be here [at the Strong Women for Healthy Country forum]. I think underneath all of this, when you don't know why you're doing things, you just think of your Nannas, really. I just think of my Nannas and why I'm here and if I'm doing them proud.”

That evening, officially night one of the conference, a series of short documentaries were shown that were filmed at last year’s forum, and one spoke to Armani in particular. “The documentary that we watched yesterday where a girl said, ‘let's be the people who plant seeds, who will never sit under the same shade’… that hit me.” 

For 19-year-old Djelk Ranger Cindy Rostron, attending the forum has come at a time when being strong is not always the easiest thing. “I've been really, really having a hard time,” Cindy reveals, recently suffering the loss of her beloved big sister. “This is really good that I came down here.” For Cindy, being at the forum surrounded by strong women has been ‘part of the healing process’. She found that sharing with the other women and hearing what they’re going through has made her feel less alone. “It's really good to come here as a woman.”

Cindy is proud to be attending the forum as a strong woman ranger, and her passion for protecting nature is a big reason why. “Nature brings life. When we die, our life goes back to nature. It's not ‘our land’ because land owns us. We are the women who look after this land because it is really important to us.”

Armani’s mother Jody reflects on what being a strong woman means to her. “A strong woman comes in many forms, but a strong woman is someone who allows others to lead,” Jody says. “Someone who has compassion and humility, and someone who leads with love, understanding, care, and honours each and every person for their individuality. That's what a leader is to me.”

After spending a week with these incredible women, I knew I was surrounded by leaders in a world that was in such need of strong Indigenous women leadership. I didn’t ever want the potent feeling of hope to go away. Only a month later, the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum was held, and the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice was rejected. Instead of losing hope, the network continues to lead by example to show what meaningful listening looks like.

As an example, there was a knowledge exchange on new invasive aquatic plant species posing an increasing threat to local water systems. “Some things we need to be able to do our work properly, to have the best impact to manage pests, to save threatened species, are actually quite simple solutions”, Rosie says. “But we are not in position to be able to receive those answers. To receive the resources we need to better direct funding. To implement those practical solutions. We need to be able to go back on our Country to manage our Country. To protect those last strongholds of native ecosystems and endangered species that are icons to all Australians”.

Women having their voices heard is an important part of the Strong Women for Healthy Country Network, particularly through the Message Stick group. The Message Sticks are a self-elected representative body that meets and makes decisions and manages communications between communities, on behalf of the whole Strong Women for Healthy Country network. The Message Stick group convenes regularly to meet with Traditional Owners, plan upcoming forums, identify key partnerships and more.

At each annual Strong Women for Healthy Country forum, the Message Sticks have the opportunity to continue or step down as a member and for new members of the Message Sticks to step forward. As Jody and Armani hold hands and step forward, a proud mother welcomes her daughter to the Message Sticks group, committing to step up to the responsibilities of supporting their whole network.

Jody believes that the women in the Strong Women for Healthy Country Network are uniquely empowered to make a real difference, not just in their communities but nationwide. “I believe in all of the ladies throughout the Northern Territory that work on Country,” Jody says. “I believe what it is that we all are trying to achieve is something absolutely magical when it comes to Country and preserving our law and culture. By being on land and being together collectively, only magic can happen.”

For proud Bonunggu/Gardbam woman Cindy, being surrounded by strong women among the pandanus and desert bloodwood trees, species particularly significant to women - “That's really important to us, because it's our thing”. Cindy’s thoughts on what women need to do now, more than ever, are unequivocal.

“Focus on your voice. Be strong and be proud - all our women out there. Don't be shame, just be confident. Speak up.”

By the end of the week, I’d shared incredible experiences, and met a number of women I’ll never forget. Then on the final night, the weaving I’d witnessed throughout the week was unveiled in a very special final form. A map of the most important focus areas for the network in the coming year.

It hit me like a wave. We were all here as strong women to achieve things only we can do, and we do it better if we do it through meaningful collaboration. Then the paintings I saw coming to life the last few days were assembled into a constellation of creativity. There were so many, dozens and dozens, and they all had their own story and message.

“We learn from the time we born till the day we die from our old people. And we learn through the process, from our parents, our grandparents, how to become a role model. We're passionate to go back home, teach our young through caring for Country. Tell them nature is our education too. We learn from Mother Nature.” - Irene Jungawanga

With sincere thanks to Mimal Land Management and the Strong Women for Healthy Country Network.