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This is the Dhimurru badge. It was designed when Dhimurru first started in 1992. The badge is a strong representation of Yolngu culture and the way Dhimurru operates. It shows the black and white cockatoos found in this area, enclosed in the beach vine, Morning Glory (Ipomea pes caprae). The white and black cockatoos represent the moieties that are one of the most important aspects of Yolngu culture. Moities, Dhuwa and Yirritja, are the fundamental divisions which separates everything in the Yolngu universe. The white cockatoo, Ngerrk, is from the Yirritja moiety while the black cockatoo, Natili, is from the Dhuwa moiety. These animals were chosen because of their strong characters, being friendly and very intelligent. They were drawn facing each other which shows the balance between them and gives the impression of sharing and learning off one another. The beach vine called Mawuka is also from the Dhuwa moiety. It is a coastal plant that flowers as the Dhimurru winds come in from the South-East. It is very important for judging the season, for food and medicine, as well as playing a big part in cultural songs and dance. In this case, Mawuka also symbolises life, power, beauty and the connections between the two moieties despite the distinctions between them. Dhimurru emulates this cross-cultural and cross-clan relationship idea and extends this in its “both ways” approach bringing Ngapaki and Yolngu knowledge together in managing country.
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In much the same way, Dhimurru has developed its Sea Country program with its own badge. This badge also depicts the Yolngu moieties with the turtle, Miyapunu, belonging to Dhuwa and the dugong, Galangami or Djunungayangu, belonging to Yirritja. Across the centre are the currents that run through Yol\u sea country. The cross-hatched design is the Dhuwa current; Rulyapa. It runs along the coast of Yirrkala where it meets the Yirritja current; Manbuynga, at the tip of Cape Arnhem, Wanuwuy. Both badges are strong symbols for Dhimurru, representing the cultural foundations of the rangers work, Yolu and Ngapaki working together, different clans working together and a respectful unifying of purpose across different cultures. |
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August and September 2009 were busy for Dhimurru, with several large marine debris cleanups taking place along the coastline.
The first was undertaken in conjunction with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) between the 26 and 31 August. CVA provided Dhimurru with six able bodied workers to assist them with the arduous task of cleaning up the beaches of Wanuwuy (Cape Arnhem). Along with these volunteers, ten Dhimurru rangers and facilitators took part in the cleanup, as well as two visiting rangers from Napranam, near Weipa. Even with the combined assistance of eighteen people, the event still spanned three days for collection and three days for sorting, weighing and recording data.
Over one tone of rubbish was collected during the cleanup along approximately 4kms of beach from Moon Island to just past Gayngada (Twin Eagles). Among the 7,737 individual items that were picked up and recorded, 13 individual ghost nets were collected. The nets contained an entangled Hawksbill Turtle and a sea snake, both found dead. Other interesting finds included 1967 bottle tops, 1341 coloured plastic bottles, 246 lighters, 102 toothbrushes and 2075 thongs (no statistics were taken on right or left thongs found).
Dhimurru has been undertaking an annual marine debris cleanup and survey along this particular stretch of beach, in order to collect long term data on the amount of rubbish which reaches the shore in these areas. The surveys were initiated when concerns were raised by Yolngu custodians in regards to the amount of rubbish that was appearing on the beaches, in particular the ghost nets which are abandoned commercial fishing nets which drift unattended at sea. The drift nets, or ghost nets, collect ocean wildlife in their travels and often entangle endangered sea turtles. Dhimurru, with assistance from the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme, regularly undertake beach patrols and cleanups to remove these nets from the beaches and prevent them from re-entering the sea.
The second large cleanup occurred between 7 and 11 September at Ritjila, south of Djulpan and Port Bradshaw. This cleanup was undertaken with World Expedition volunteers. Over eight ute loads of rubbish were collected from this beach, including 53 ghost nets, the largest measuring 55 metres in length.
Dhimurru would like to acknowledge all volunteers including CVA, the Napranam rangers and NT Parks and Wildlife for their assistance with collecting and sorting the debris, Rio Tinto Alcan who generously supplied accommodation and meals for the volunteers during their stay, North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management and the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Work Place Relations for their support, and finally the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Programme for all their assistance.
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Last Updated March 22, 2011
Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation PO Box 1551 Nhulunbuy NT Australia 0881
Phone: 08 8939 2700 Fax: 08 8987 3224 Email: nhamirri@SPAMBUNGLERdhimurru.com.au (To Email remove SPAMBUNGLER)
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