NYUNGAH CIRCLE OF ELDERS
c/o PO GUILDFORD WESTERN AUSTRALIA
T: 08 9377 3550, 08 9279 6706 F:08 9377 3559
The Last of the Nyungah Elders who are standing to Save and Protectour Ancient Religion and Culture and Sacred Beliefs in the Land and nottake money to sell our Sacredness
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE:
SWANBOURNE AGREEMENT
17.7.01
Nyungah Elders and Alan Carpenter, Minister for Education, will today sign an historic Agreement at Swanbourne.
The Agreement marks the culmination of nearly 3 years negotiations between18 Nyungah Elders and the Education Department.
The Agreement relates to an important Aboriginal Site in the area of Lake Claremont (formerly known as Butlers Swamp) and the relocation of the Swanbourne Primary School at the old Swanbourne Homegrounds land, where Swanbourne High School was located.
The Site is of great significance to Nyungah people, being home to Nyungah people for generations and various Nyungah Elders alive today, during the 1930's and 1940's.
In recognition of the importance of the Site and the use of part of the land for educational purposes, the Agreement provides for the implementation of a pilot programme relating to the teaching of Nyungah history to children.
"It will be the true history of how the land was taken and what happened thereafter to the Nyungah people" (Nyungah Elder Robert Bropho).
The pilot programme will be part of the Social Studies curriculum at the Swanbourne Primary School. It will be presented by Nyungah Elders.
The State Government has also agreed to incorporate into the Primary School Library a Nyungah History and Achive area reflecting the significance of the Swanbourne area which will be available for use by other schools and has agreed to consider building a separate Nyungah History and Archive area at the Primary School or on an area that is set aside as a Cultural Ground on the existing north-east oval.
The State Government and the Elders have agreed that the Cultural Ground will be set aside as bushland with emphasis on using it to bring awareness of the Nyungah significance to the school and general community.
The State Government and Nyungah Elders have agreed to consult in relation to education and a number of matters including the management and use of the cultural ground.
Prior to completion of the Agreement, Ground Probing Radar tests were completed over the area to help determine if Aboriginal artefacts or Ancestral remains risked being unearthed during the works for construction of the new Primary School. All works on the Site are to be monitored by Nyungah Elders to ensure that any artifacts or remainns that may be found are treated in a culturally appropriate manner.
The parties were assisted in their negotiations and drafting of the Agreement by Mediator Marcus Holmes, of Deacons Lawyers, and by SolicitorCarolyn Tan of Dwyer Durack.
Location: corner Narla Road and Alfred Road, Swanbourne
Media Contact: Stephen Harvey - Department of Education T:
Noel Morich - West Australian Aboriginal Media Association T: 93251622
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Swan Valley Nyungah Community
svnc@nyungah.org.au
http://www.nyungah.org.au/
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