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The smoking ceremony (the first for many years) and site launch was attended by Malaruch and Maria Grimaldi, Principal Land Officer,Indigenous Services. Ms Grimaldi was representing the Minister of the Department of Natural Resources & Water. Representatives from the Algnith and Napranum Traditional Owner groups were also present at the ceremony. This historical event represented an important step in reconciliation efforts and is a major milestone for the empowerment of Indigenous People and will assist them to reach their cultural and economic aspirations.
The event coincided with the launch of the Cyclone Totem Project, the first stage of a major cultural and economic development project planned for the site. The Malaruch Aboriginal Corporation will now proceed with plans to start immediate construction of the Cyclone Totem Pro ject, which involves a large-scale public artwork representing a cyclone, the main totem of Algnith people, which will be surrounded by smaller sculptures including the snake lily , pandanus, willy wagtail, mangrove crab, mudcrab, sea eagle, land eagle and tiger mullet. These features have been designed in co llaboration with local Indigenous artists to represent significant features of the land important to the dreaming of surrounding traditional owner groups. |
