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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-19 Daily Xml
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CAMP COORONG

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (15:32): Recently, I had the great pleasure of visiting Camp Coorong, near Meningie. Camp Coorong is an Aboriginal rehabilitation and education centre that was established in 1985 for the purpose of teaching the true history and culture of the Ngarrindjeri people. The Ngarrindjeri influence stretched from as far as Renmark to Kingston in the South-East, and their traditional lands extended from Mannum and Murray Bridge all the way to Goolwa and Cape Jervis, including Lake Alexandrina, Lake Albert and the Coorong.

Camp Coorong is managed and operated by the Ngarrindjeri Land and Progress Association. When I visited, I spoke to Uncle Tom Trevorrow, who is a Ngarrindjeri elder and a knowledgeable educator, and his wife, Aunty Ellen, who is a world-renowned traditional basket weaver who teaches the art of traditional Ngarrindjeri weaving. Contrary to popular belief, the Aboriginal term 'elder' does not necessarily mean someone who is of an older generation; an elder was a person who was selected by their peers within the Ngarrindjeri for showing great wisdom and knowledge of their ways.

Camp Coorong is a way for the Ngarrindjeri people to share their cultural beliefs and practices and to help close the gap between Aboriginals and other Australians that has been caused by ignorance and fear of others over generations. The camp opens its door to all. School groups and individuals of all ages visit regularly, as well as Aboriginals who wish to reconnect with their cultural heritage. Uncle Tom and Aunty Ellen have been involved with the camp since its inception. Uncle Tom said he is often amazed at how often people run up to him, saying that he taught at a workshop that they went to when they were children.

The camp offers workshops for people to come and learn the customs of the Ngarrindjeri people. You can be taught the art of basket weaving from a master of the craft, Aunty Ellen. The elders can also take people on nature walks where they can teach us about the environment, the land, the water and the animals that inhabit it. The camp also offers a fantastic cultural museum that shows off historical artefacts, items that have been crafted by students and masters alike, as well as some amazing artwork.

We were lucky enough to have a guided tour with Uncle Tom and Aunty Ellen, who took great pride in telling us some of what they know about the Ngarrindjeri people. While we were there we had a taste of what was on offer at the camp. Uncle Tom sat with us and discussed at length certain aspects of the Ngarrindjeri culture, which we found most interesting.

One thing that we discussed was the Ngarrindjeri Tendi. The leaders of each tribe within the Ngarrindjeri would gather in a group called the Tendi, the equivalent of our parliament. Early Europeans described these leaders as kings and queens. The Tendi would discuss topics such as law and marriage, and everything that affected the tribe. I could not help noticing the similarities between the Ngarrindjeri Tendi and our democratic process of government today.

To an outsider, the Ngarrindjeri would have looked primitive, but they were a complex and advanced society with laws regarding marriage, sex, hunting and sharing, just to name a few. These laws were strictly enforced. It was illegal to engage in sexual activities before marriage, and all marriages were subject to the laws laid down by the Tendi.

Each tribe had a totem and you could not marry someone from the same totem, the obvious reason being the risk of inbreeding. The Ngarrindjeri have a dreaming story set around the Blue Lake that highlights this issue. Finally, I would like to thank Aunty Ellen and Uncle Tom for taking the time to show us around their camp and for the amazing work that they do for their community and the Ngarrindjeri people.

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