ANTaR ACT Newsletter – March 2025

Here is our monthly update on important issues for First Nations peoples and events in Canberra featuring First Nations artists and performers.

News

Native title

Starting with some positive news. The High Court has ruled the Commonwealth is liable for compensation for lost native title rights over a mining lease on the Gove Peninsula in North-East Arnhem Land. The case was brought to the courts in 2019 by the late Dr Yunupingu on behalf of the Gumatj people. You can read more below in these articles from the ABC and the Guardian.

Closing the gap

Next some less positive news. The Productivity Commission has just released an update of a number of measures in their Closing the Gap Dashboard (https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/dashboard). As noted by the Coalition of the Peaks, these show ‘encouraging progress in several key areas across all states and territories, particularly in land and sea rights and internet access. Yet, critical challenges remain, requiring urgent government action, particularly in incarceration, child removal, and suicide prevention.’ https://www.coalitionofpeaks.org.au/media/productivity-commission-closing-the-gap-data-update

The 2025 Close The Gap Campaign Report will be released on 20 March, 10.30am. For more information and the link to join online, see: https://closethegap.org.au/.

ANTaR ACT Organising Group

In our last newsletter, we mentioned that we were experiencing problems with our emails, related to a website update. These were finally resolved on 19 February. Our apologies for any slow replies or inconvenience over the month where we had problems getting messages. Please let us know if there are any other issues.

A couple of ANTaR ACT representatives were very pleased to join the meeting of the ACTCOSS Reconciliation Network (RecNet) in February, and to talk with the representatives from the Reconciliation Council. RecNet is an informal group bringing together ACT community organisations interested in reconciliation, information sharing and supporting organisations in their reconciliation journeys. You can find out more here: https://actcoss.org.au/networks/reconciliation-peer-network/.

The next meeting of the ANTaR ACT organising group will be at 6pm on Monday 17 March (a week later than usual due to Canberra Day) at King O’Malley’s, Civic, in the Snug Room (behind the main bar). If you would like to join us and be involved in our ongoing advocacy and actions, please RSVP to: info@antaract.org.au.

Events coming up

Kulata Tjuta: Tirkilpa

From 1 March 2025 to 29 March 2026, Level 1, Gallery 15, National Gallery of Australia

Kulata Tjuta is an ongoing cultural maintenance project that shares the skills of carving and making the punu kulata (wooden spear) across generations. Kulata Tjuta: Tirkilpa is the largest and most significant installation of the culturally important and visually spectacular Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project. Like others in the series, it is rooted in age-old traditions, knowledge and skills that are designed around keeping Country and culture strong. The artistic outcomes take the form of large-scale, multi-disciplinary installations which incorporate film, sound, live performance and other artistic collaborations.

For more information, see: https://nga.gov.au/exhibitions/kulata-tjuta-tirkilpa/.

Blak Laughs Matter: Choolburra, Blair, Ribbons, Harlem, Vann, Margosis

Saturday 15 March, 6.30pm, Street Theatre, Childers St, Civic

Come see some legendary Deadly comedians including Australia’s number one Indigenous entertainer Sean Choolburra. A comedian, actor, rap singer, dancer, storyteller and voice on the hit tv show Bluey, Sean is joined by Deadly Funny National winner Janty Blair and talented locals Cameron Ribbons, Patrick Vann, Zane Harlem and Jez Margosis.

For more information and bookings: https://canberracomedyfestival.com.au/event/blak-laughs-matter.

Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir

Thursday 20 March, 7.30pm, Llewellyn Hall, ANU

Hailing from the very heart of Australia, the 35-strong Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir is drawn together from seven remote communities of Australia’s vast central desert. Singing in English alongside Western Arrarnta and Pitjantjatjara – two living languages of the Northern Territory and South Australia – and led by Choir Master Morris Stuart, this extraordinary vocal ensemble first came to popular attention following ABC TV’s Australian Story (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-10/the-choirmaster/9748400), and the feature documentary, The Song Keepers (https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/the-song-keepers/1268042307847).

For more information and bookings: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=CAUSCHOI25.

Building understanding between Indigenous Peoples and the state

Friday 21 March, 11.30am – 12.30pm, Seminar Room 1.04, Coombs Extension Building, 8 Fellows Road ANU

Dr. Albert K. Barume is the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is a special presentation on the occasion of the International Day of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March).

International human rights law affirms the right to self-determination for all peoples. While Australians collectively exercise this right through democratic governance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples remain deprived of it. The state continues to exert control over their lives and cultural existence, a legacy of colonization that persists despite the end of segregation and punitive policies.

For more information: https://regnet.anu.edu.au/event/building-understanding-between-indigenous-peoples-and-state. Registration is not required.

Two Ways to See: A Rock Art Research Journey

Thursday 27 March, 6 – 7.30pm, China in the World Lecture Theatre, Building 188, ANU

Hosted in partnership by Rock Art Australia and the ANU School of Culture, History & Language, this lecture is presented by Traditional Owner Ian Waina from the far northern Kimberley community of Kalumburu in WA, and Emeritus Professor Andy Gleadow AO FAA from the University of Melbourne. The lecture will share how Traditional Owners and scientists have collaborated over the past decade blending science and traditional knowledge to reveal the enduring narratives of art, climate change, and human resilience on Kwini and Balanggarra Country in the East Kimberley spanning at least 50,000 years.

For more information and bookings (free but essential): https://www.anu.edu.au/events/two-ways-to-see-a-rock-art-research-journey.

Native Plant Use & Traditional Tools

Saturday 29 March, 1-3pm, Gungaderra Community Garden, Gungaderra Homestead, Otway Street, Harrison

Join Aaron Chatfield from Dreamtime Connections to learn about Indigenous native plant use and traditional tools, while learning how to plant a bushtucker garden and look after our natural environment and waterways. Includes an hour of discussion and information, followed by an hour planting out a small bushtucker garden. Presented by the Canberra Environment Centre in partnership with Icon Water.

For more information and bookings (cost involved): https://events.humanitix.com/native-plant-use-and-traditional-tools-2025-03-01?

Global Indigenous Data Sovereignty (GIDSov) Conference 2025

Tuesday 1 – Thursday 3 April, ANU

The GIDSov Conference 2025 will bring together Indigenous Peoples from across the globe to reflect on successes and map future pathways to advance Indigenous Data Sovereignty.

Note: 1 – 2 April will be exclusively for Indigenous Peoples and communities. Governments and other non-Indigenous organisations and individuals are welcome to join the conference on the third and final day, 3 April.

For more information and registration (fees apply): https://gidsov.com.au/ .

ANTaR ACT acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which Canberra is situated, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region. We also acknowledge other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may visit this area.

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