WGAR News: Walkatjurra Walkabout update: Week two on the road: walking on the special red-earth country of the Northern Goldfields

Submitted by WGAR - Working ... on Thu, 03/09/2015 - 5:24pm

Newsletter date: 4 September 2015

The Walkatjurra Ranger Program: http://walkatjurra.org/projects/the-walkatjurra-ranger-program/
Western Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA): https://nuclearfree.wordpress.com/
Footprints for Peace: http://footprintsforpeace.footprintsforpeace.net/
Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia (ANAWA): http://www.anawa.org.au/
Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA): http://ccwa.org.au/

* Information for Participants - Walkatjurra Walkabout

* Background:

WGAR News: 'Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country' - Wiluna to Leonora - 16th August - 19th September 2015
WGAR News: Walkatjurra Walkabout.. Week one on the road: Marcus Atkinson, Walkatjurra Walkabout Crew
WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement

WGAR News postings on Indymedia Australia: https://indymedia.org.au/newswire
WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

- Homepage

'Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country'

http://walkingforcountry.com/

"2015 Walkatjurra Walkabout Dates: 16th August -19th September ... "

"Walking for country is to reconnect people with land and culture. The Walkatjurra Walkabout is a pilgrimage across Wangkatja country in the spirit of our ancestors so together, we as present custodians, can protect our land and our culture for future generations. My people have resisted destructive mining on our land and our sacred sites for generations. For over forty years we have fought to stop uranium mining at Yeelirrie, we stopped the removal of sacred stones from Weebo and for the last twenty years we have stopped destruction of 200 sites at Yakabindie. ... We invite all people, from all places, to come together to walk with us, ... " Kado Muir, Traditional Owner, Yeelirrie

- Update

Walkatjurra Walkabout: Week two on the road
An update from week two walking on the special red-earth country of the Northern Goldfields
http://walkingforcountry.com/2015/09/02/walkatjurra-walkabout-week-two-o...
2 Sep 15: "Hello again from the desert. ... The mine would bring devastation to the local environment which would be catastrophic for the traditional custodians and local pastoralists. We heard from linguists and anthropologists about the language revival programs ... We also heard from traditional owners and politicians about the history of the government’s protection of Indigenous sacred sites, ... While the situation is very difficult, the spirit of the people who are sharing their knowledge is strong (and infectious). ... After those two days at Yeelirrie we were back on the road. From Yeelirrie we walked South East toward Yakabinde. ... " By Marcus Atkinson

"This walk is a physical and spiritual journey. We listen and reflect, we walk and rest, create and sing, and we breathe in the air of the beautiful land. We are sharing our skills with each other. ... We are privileged to be on this beautiful land and hearing from the traditional custodians fighting to save it, learning culture and watching the birds fly ahead. We will continue to walk steadily for a future where this beautiful land is preserved and the dangerous uranium is left in the ground." By Marcus Atkinson

- Bio

Marcus Atkinson - Walkatjurra Walkabout
http://walkingforcountry.com/author/footprintsforpeace/
"For over two decades I have been involved in Peace Walks that have covered many different issues. In 2003 I helped organize a 9 month walk from Roxby Downs, South Australia (home to one of the largest uranium mines in the world) to Hiroshima, Japan, (arriving on August 6th.) In 2005 I became a board member of Footprints for Peace and have acted as the International Coordinator in organizing walks through out the world for a Nuclear Free Future."

- News Analysis

NITV News: Walkatjurra Walkabout begins fifth protest of Toro uranium mining project
http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2015/08/31/walkajurra-walka...
31 Aug 15: "Anti-nuclear protesters have come together for the fifth consecutive Walkatjurra Walkabout to oppose energy company's Toro Energy uranium mining project. ... Kado Muir, Walkatjurra Walkabout organiser: So if they ever got the approval to mine it, it would dig up a 50 kilometre area, taking uranium out of the ground, turning it over, extracting the ore, leaving radioactive materials behind, all this beautiful land will end up being a radioactive wasteland ... Basically all these people share this common goal with us the Aboriginal people of this land of keeping uranium in the ground and shutting down the nuclear industry." Craig Quartermaine NITV News, Yellarie

- Audio

Elizabeth PO’ & Adrian Glamorgan, RTRFM: Understorey: Walking Yeelirie
http://rtrfm.com.au/story/understorey-walking-yeelirie/
2 Sep 15: "For the fifth year environmental pilgrims from around the world meet and walk country with traditional owners in the Northern Goldfields region. It’s a chance to learn more about the proposed Toro Energy mine at Wiluna, but also to uncover the last forty years of Aboriginal struggle to stand strong, protect culture, and maintain heritage under threat. Understorey joins the protestors at Yeerlirie, the "place of wailing and death", for a couple of days of a month long trek."

- facebook updates

Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country, facebook
https://www.facebook.com/WalkForCountry
"a one-month walk from Yeelirree to Leonora led by the Walkatjurra Rangers in partnership with Footprints for Peace, Western Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA), the Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia (ANAWA) and the Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA). ... ‘Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country’ is a celebration of Wangkatja country, a testament to the strength of the community who have fought to stop uranium mining at Yeelirrie for over forty years, ... Join us for a month walk from Yeelirrie to Leonora from August – September, 2015. ... All Welcome to Join for an hour, a day, a few weeks or the whole way "
"Full Schedule and Details on Website: walkingforcountry.com "

- Support

"CAN YOU HELP SPONSER A WALKER..
[Scroll down page] http://walkingforcountry.com/2015/08/29/walkatjurra-walkabout-week-one-o...
$50 sponsors one walker for 5 days.
$100 for 10 days..
$300 entire walk for one person
All donations are tax deductible.. "

Donate - Walkatjurra Walkabout
http://walkingforcountry.com/donate-to-walkajurra-walkabout-walking-for-...
"Make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation to Walkajurra Walkabout – Walking for Country Click Here
OR
Make a Direct Deposit."

Donate - Walkatjurra Walkabout
https://ccwa.nationbuilder.com/walkatjurra
"GOAL: $5,000.00
Walkatjurra Walkabout is an inspiring event to reconnect people with land and culture. The Walkatjurra Walkabout is a pilgrimage across Wangkatja country in the spirit of our ancestors so together, we as present custodians, can protect our land and our culture for future generations. The walks are open to everyone and are a drug and alcohol free event. Please donate or come along. Donations contribute to support local participants and the rangers to come along. You can find out more at www.walkingforcountry.com
Donations are tax deductible."

- About

About Us - Walkatjurra Walkabout
http://walkingforcountry.com/walkatjurra-walkabout-about-us-2/
"Walkajurra Walkabout – Walking for Country will be lead by the Walkatjurra Rangers, in partnership with Footprints for Peace, Western Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA), the Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia (ANAWA) and the Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA). WALKATJURRA RANGERS: The Ranger group provide opportunities for community members to undertake cultural maintenance activities, for youth to learn and for elders to promote their culture to others and develop opportunities for training and livelihoods based on cultural enterprises. ... "

Scroll down the page for further info on Walkatjurra Rangers, Footprints for Peace, WANFA, ANAWA & CCWA
http://walkingforcountry.com/walkatjurra-walkabout-about-us-2/

- Homepages

The Walkatjurra Ranger Program
http://walkatjurra.org/projects/the-walkatjurra-ranger-program/

Western Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA)
https://nuclearfree.wordpress.com/

Footprints for Peace
http://footprintsforpeace.footprintsforpeace.net/

Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia (ANAWA)
http://www.anawa.org.au/

Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA)
http://ccwa.org.au/

- Background Info

Information for Participants - Walkatjurra Walkabout
http://walkingforcountry.com/information-participants/
"We welcome your interest in the Walkatjurra Walkabout. Let me start with a few words about the spirit of our adventure. This walk will challenge and invigorate our ability to enact the changes that we wish to see in our world and society. It is about fulfilling the realization that we are all custodians of this earth. It is a chance and a process to step outside our comfort zones and distractions to focus on what we are trying to achieve as custodians in our actions on this walk and after this walk. As such, we will be adhering to Non-violent guidelines that are aligned with principles and campaigns that this walk supports. ... "

- Background

WGAR News: 'Walkatjurra Walkabout - Walking for Country' - Wiluna to Leonora - 16th August - 19th September 2015
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/08/10/wgar-news-walkatjurra-walkabout-walk...

WGAR News: Walkatjurra Walkabout.. Week one on the road: Marcus Atkinson, Walkatjurra Walkabout Crew
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/08/30/wgar-news-walkatjurra-walkabout-week...

WGAR Background to the Aboriginal Sovereignty Movement
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-the-aboriginal-so...
(last updated: 29 August 2015)

WGAR Background Info Web-Pages
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-info-web-pages
(last updated: 29 August 2015)

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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