In early June, a group of local Aboriginal community members participated in a hands-on training course on Aboriginal Site Works. This four-day course, delivered by Bourke TAFE, offered participants the unique opportunity to identify and visit significant Aboriginal sites and objects, and to record information and knowledge on Country, from both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal perspectives.
Two Maranguka staff members took part in the training and Maranguka also provided a bus to transport participants to various sites in and around Bourke and Brewarrina.
The training included activities that enhanced community engagement techniques and boosted participants’ confidence in sharing their knowledge with the community. The participants also gained a Statement of Attainment in Aboriginal Site Works, which gives them the opportunity for the access, the transfer and use of cultural information following local community cultural protocols and key principles of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICCP).
One participant shared their experience: “I really enjoyed the training as it was hands-on and delivered in our local area at our own significant sites. The TAFE staff were very friendly and culturally appropriate, and I’m now looking to see what other courses they have on offer.”