Suellyn Tighe

When the British colonised countries, they would take items from Indigenous peoples, including but not limited to cultural items and artefacts, which often end up in museums overseas. David Johnson writes, First Nations peoples here in so-called Australia have been working to have these objects returned. At the same time, Dr Shane Ingrey shares that the practice of making these objects continues today, because the knowledge to do so remains strong.

My sister and I, my baawaa – because she is older than me – are planning a trip to Country. Normally we drive by Narrabri, rest at Moree, and then continue to. We say we’re from Moree when people ask but we know that’s not really true; our family has been there near a century yes, but that was not by choice. The warm healing waters make it easy to forget –they feel like home – but that doesn’t change it: Moree is not our place. Boobera is our place.

Last week, the Native Title Tribunal (NTT) ruled again against Gomeroi people and in favour of Santos, granting the resources conglomerate permission to destroy our Native Title rights and proceed with the Pilliga/Narrabri coal seam gas project despite the staunch opposition of our Nation. The project will see up to 850 Coal Seam Gas wells throughout the majority of the Pilliga forest in the heart of Gomeroi Country.