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ABORIGINAL MANAGEMENT
ABORIGINAL MANAGEMENT
Over thousands of years Aboriginal people have used sustainable practices on the Great Southern Reef. Resources were taken to satisfy needs and maintain biodiversity and environmental processes. Examples of traditional cultural practices are totems and seasonal calendars.
Totems are about responsible stewardship.
‘Each clan/family is responsible for the stewardship of their totem: the flora and fauna of their area and the stewardship of the sacred sites attached to their area. This stewardship includes the sustainable management of the resources and the spiritual management and ceremonies needed to ensure adequate resources for each season’.
https://australianstogether.org.au/discover/indigenous-culture/aboriginal-spirituality/
WATCH: Aboriginal responsibility of caring for country and the Great Southern Reef
The Wadandi (Saltwater) People from the Noongar nation, in the SW corner of Australia have a continuous cultural, physical and spiritual relationship with the land and sea. Zac Webb, a Wadandi custodian explains totems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5dnkzvNW0s
Great Southern Reef https://greatsouthernreef.com
Seasonal calendars. The sustainable use of resources was illustrated by:
- moving campsites to take advantage of seasonal abundance
- using every part of a plant or animal to avoid waste and conserve living resources
- forbidding harvesting at different times of the year
The seasonal calendar of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide region shows migration between the coast and inland plains in different seasons. During Wirltuti (Spring) Kaurna headed to the coast where blue crabs, garfish, shellfish and crustaceans were harvested, and fish caught.
The image below shows two of the seasons in the Kaurna Calendar
See - Indigenous Weather Knowledge
Traditional knowledge and contemporary management
The involvement of Aboriginal people in contemporary management is increasing. This includes management within Marine Protected Areas and with organisations and agencies such as Parks and Wildlife.
Two examples of traditional and contemporary management within NSW coastal waters are the Gamay Indigenous Rangers at Botany Bay in Sydney and Gumbaynggirr (Garby) people at Arrawarra in Northern NSW.
Gamay Indigenous Rangers: Botany Bay
Gamay Indigenous Rangers: Botany Bay
Shell middens and rock art are evidence of traditional cultural use of marine resources in Botany Bay and surrounding coastal waters by the Gamay people where country extends from the bay to several kilometres out to sea.
The Gamay Rangers are the first urban rangers in the national Indigenous Ranger Program. The rangers work with scientists and NSW Parks and Wildlife Service to protect the marine ecosystem of Botany Bay by integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and contemporary management practices.
Activities of the Gamay Rangers have included:
- Working with Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS) scientists on preparation of kelp for restoration at Kurnell for Operation Crayweed
- assisting University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers track the effects of invasive sea urchins.
Everyday ranger activities relate to:
- patrolling marine waters
- marine mammal awareness and protection (particularly whales)
- cultural and environmental awareness for vessel operators and visitors.
The Gamay Rangers were featured in a LANDLINE program in 2020.
Cultural resource use and management: Arrawarra
For thousands of years, Garby Elders, from the Gumbaynggir Nation, relied on the marine resources at Arrawarra Headland, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. Evidence of traditional use include large stone fish traps and a midden adjacent to Arrawarra Creek. Traditionally, the stone fish traps were an effective means of capturing fresh fish. The trapping of fish, as well as hand collection, spearing and line fishing have been, and continue to be, an integral part of the Garby Elders’ way of life.
The Arrawarra Headland rock platform is located within the Solitary Islands Marine Park. A Special Purpose Zone was declared by the NSW Marine Parks Authority in 2002 to provide for traditional use (harvesting marine resources), monitoring and scientific research. The Special Purpose Zone extends 200m offshore and encompasses subtidal GSR habitats.
WATCH: 360 Aboriginal Storytelling: Arrawarra Fish Traps 3.38 https://vimeo.com/232286117
WATCH: Arrawarra Surfing Headland - surfing, fish traps and Solitary Islands Marine Park ll referred to 7.08
Look for the ubtidal reefs as you watch.
A Conservation Plan allows traditional harvesting at Arrawarra under strict guidelines - with a requirement for ongoing research and monitoring. The plan is a collaboration between the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation and Garby Elders, the Marine Parks Authority, the National Marine Science Centre and University of New England to manage the cultural and environmental values of the site sustainably.
Learn more about the Garby People and their cultural practices from Fact Sheets downloadable here http://www.arrawarraculture.com.au/fact_sheets/index.html
In southern NSW, members of the Aboriginal community have been included in discussions around the management of exploding sea urchin populations.
See 'Scientists call for swift action to save South Coast reefs, with commercial sea urchin fishing one solution'.
First Nations Systems Thinking
First Nations Systems Thinking
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