To care for and look after our Country we must know it. We know it through our ceremonies but we must also be there to see and listen to the signs our Country gives us. The knowledge and skills that have been passed to us from our ancestors tell us what, where, when and how to hunt and gather. We are taught how to respect and honour the plants and animals we live with and use and how to share our harvest with our family. It is essential our young people receive this wisdom from us. As Djäkami Wäŋawu we must know this so we can see and feel if everything is alright. As we hunt and gather we can record and report on the health of our Country, inform our elders and teach our young people. We will identify changes and concerns and make plans to fix problems and see where we need mainstream strategies and tools to help.
“Yolŋu are carers for Country. They look for food, they follow the seasons and do fire management. They care for the land, the sacred sites and the waterways and look after Country in this way.”
YINIMALA GUMANA






