Cultural Burning for Resilience
The 2019/2020 Currowan Fires are still at the forefront of many of our hearts and minds, and we know there is still so much healing to be done. Last year we had the privilege of being able to support a beautiful project led by local Aboriginal Elders, local fire practitioners and Aboriginal youth from 4 different Shoalhaven High Schools to produce a film of hope and healing for all involved and all that have the opportunity to receive it, ‘Cultural Burning for Resilience’.
A local film highlighting the importance of connecting Aboriginal Elders, fire practitioners and youth to create healthy communities and Country.
Cultural Burning for Resilience is an Aboriginal-led community project, supported by the University of Wollongong’s Global Challenges Program and Treading Lightly Inc. The action research project brings together Aboriginal high school students with Yuin Elders and cultural land management practitioners from the South Coast to learn about good fire, bad fire, and connection to Country.
The project was a collaboration between Yuin Indigenous Elders and community – Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council and local Yuin cultural fire practitioners; students from Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Bomaderry & Nowra High School students & teachers.
Yes, I was there yesterday for the screening at Milton Theatre. Very impressive what Uncle Vic Channell and Monica Mudge are doing with participation for young local indigenous peoples learning. Also others from Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council in this initiative. We certainly want to ameliorate the severity of future uncontrolled and unintended bushfires, which otherwise will be as bad or worse than the ‘Black Summer Fires’ of 2019-20 as they are now being called. I have been reading Victor Steffensens’ book ‘Fire Country-How Indigenous Fire Management Could Help Save Australia’ (which was acknowledged in the film credits) and I would recommend it to everyone to read (available for order through Harbour Bookshop in the arcade at Ulladulla).
Cultural Projects
Treading Lightly is very humbled and incredibly grateful for our connections with our local Indigenous Elders. They have so much wisdom to share, and we have so much to learn from them in terms of resilience and sustainability. More info to follow very soon; we’re so excited!
Events
We are excited to have our own space to host workshops and event to bring community together. Visit the EVENTS PAGE to see what we have coming up for you to enjoy either at the Treading Lightly Community Hub or off-site.
Community Wellbeing
Our communities are quite fragile at the moment as everyone is coming to grips with the immense losses of the recent bushfires. Treading Lightly is currently in discussion with our coastal communities (Sussex Inlet to Lake Tabourie) to develop a community wellbeing programme to be rolled out over the next couple of months that will benefit everyone that needs that extra hug or opportunity to talk, or simply a bit of family fun. We have already supported the Lake Conjola community event a week ago, and are sponsors of the Triple 000 ball for frontline service men and women, and there are heaps more events and activities in the pipeline that we will proudly support.
Treading Lightly Youth
Although we’d like to think of ourselves as young, the reality is that we’re not that young anymore (or at least we don’t feel it at the moment!). With our next generations inheriting some pretty massive global problems, we are super proud to have @jademudge as our Treading Lightly Youth coordinator. Jade is the liaison with our kids and teens and local teachers. TL Youth regularly organises climate Q&A talks, clean up and education events. Jade is also a public speaker on all things environmental.