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The light is returning to the Lands

For decades now, there has been a sentiment within the Yarnangu of Ngaanyatjarra Lands that for anything substantive to change, it will need to be through government assistance. But hope is returning from within the Lands.

While there’s measures of assistance from state and federal sources, these lands cry out for transformative change that will help see the aspirations of Yarnangu realised in their lifetime. A sense of dashed expectations and desperation is a reasonable reaction to what has prevailed.


As the Ngaanyatjarra Council celebrates its 43rd anniversary, CEO, Thomas Williams, reflected on this perception.

“I think our people have long had this opinion that if it’s not funded by the government, we don’t do it, but the reality is that gaps of funding are so great that we had to look beyond those sources,” Thomas said.


“We came together 43 years ago on these lands through a collective choice to walk together. We have accomplished so much together and as I reflect on the milestones of this history, I see times of great expectation and sometimes despondency as well,”

“These realities have stopped us dreaming of the future for too long. But I think that we’ve realised that the future might be within us,” he added.


Through strong financial stewardship in recent times, Ngaanyatjarra Council had enough funds in reserve to work on plans that would develop each of their communities through their own means.


With the appointment of Creating Communities Australia, there has been a series of engagements from which Community Plans have already been developed for six of the eleven Ngaanyatjarra communities

“These plans have breathed fresh life and expectation in our communities and fuelled their aspirations for lasting positive change to come to the lands,” said Thomas.


“I stood alongside one of elders, Mr. T, who reflected on the genuine change that he was seeing emerge in the Lands,”

“Mr. T said: ‘It’s starting to change the world - the light is returning to the Lands. I really thought for a while that we might be done and there was nothing that we could do, but I’m starting to see the light again—I’m encouraged by the work that’s being done by the Council, and by that Creating Communities’ mob’,” Thomas recalled.

It’s an insight that both stimulates and encourages the work that is being done at so many levels large and small—housing, health, education, employment, culture & country—to realise the overarching goal of Yarnangu living lives of purpose and agency through Ngurra Rapa, Tjukurrpa Rapa (Strong homes and Strong Stories).


There’s no doubt that the road ahead is long. The transformation of communities is good work but, most times, it’s slow and hard work.

As the Ngaanyatjarra Council commemorates 43 years of walking together, it’s with renewed endurance for the work ahead. The light is returning.


As the Ngaanyatjarra Council commemorates 43 years of walking together, it’s with renewed endurance for the work ahead. The light is returning.

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