Peter RileySep 29, 2023

Yitaki Mani — Reading the Country

Reading the tracks, Christine knows which direction an animal is going, how long ago it passed by, and whether it was male or female. She knows which birds will sing out when it nears, its favourite food, and how to safely burn its habitat.

#Pintupi rangers and elders trekked five hours to the #NewhavenWildlifeSanctuary, 363 kilometres north-west of #Mparntwe #AliceSprings, to learn from the #Warlpiri master trackers.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-30/warlpiri-indigenous-trackers-yitaki-mani-program/102889360

#firstnations

Warlpiri 'master trackers' develop new teaching methods to keep ancient knowledge alive

In the Central Desert, Aboriginal master trackers fear their ancient knowledge of the landscape could be lost forever as fewer young people spend time on country, but a new program hopes to keep the traditional skill alive.

ABC News
Jim RichardsonFeb 28, 2023

"The Northern Territory police’s second-highest serving officer has told an inquest he is “struggling to find a reason why” there was such a deviation from the “detailed” plan to arrest Warlpiri teenager Kumanjayi Walker on the day he was shot and killed by Constable Zachary Rolfe …

"The deputy commissioner of NT police, Murray Smalpage, was highly critical of the operation to arrest Walker conducted by Rolfe and the other members of the immediate response team …

"Smalpage said it was “not a unique event” for police officers to have to arrest somebody who may have a weapon or presented the risk of absconding.

"He said the obligation in light of that reality was for “members to undertake that task in terms of assessing the risk and working a way through to mitigating it”."

#KumanjayiWalker #DeathsInCustody #Warlpiri #Yuendumu

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/28/deputy-commissioner-highly-critical-of-botched-arrest-of-kumanjayi-walker-inquest-hears

Previous thread:
https://aus.social/@jimrhiz/109356795987901665

Deputy commissioner highly critical of botched arrest of Kumanjayi Walker, inquest hears

Murray Smalpage tells coroner he is ‘struggling to find a reason’ for deviation from arrest plan on day Warlpiri teen was killed by Zachary Rolfe

The Guardian
Show threadJim RichardsonNov 17, 2022

"Residents in a remote Indigenous community where a Northern Territory police officer shot dead a teenager during an attempted arrest say they are “disgusted” the officer still has a job with the force. ...

"They also called for the NT and federal governments to recognise the Warlpiri community’s cultural authority in Yuendumu – which the group said had been lost during the Howard government’s intervention."

#KumanjayiWalker #DeathsInCustody #Warlpiri #Yuendumu

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/15/how-come-hes-still-in-a-job-indigenous-elders-query-zachary-rolfes-ongoing-police-role-to-coroner

‘How come he’s still in a job’: Indigenous elders query Zachary Rolfe’s ongoing police role to coroner

The NT inquest into Kumanjayi Walker’s death is conducting informal sittings in Yuendumu so coroner can hear from community members

The Guardian