16 Nov Jinibara People sign off on Cultural Activities
Queensland Conference and Camping Centres (QCCC) and Goombuckar Pty Ltd are delighted to announce a relationship agreement with the determined native title holders for the Blackall Range, the Jinibara People Aboriginal Corporation (JPAC). The agreement accepts and endorses Aboriginal Cultural Awareness activities for delivery at QCCC Mapleton’s Outdoor Education campus.
As the closest Outdoor Education facility to Baroon Pocket, historical venue of one of three traditional Bunya Festivals, Mapleton is the ideal location for educational activities to promote ideas of reconciliation and collaboration to future generations of domestic and international guests. JPAC elder Uncle Ken Murphy confirms:
“for thousands of years Aboriginal people from many miles around came to the Blackall Range during the bumper fruiting seasons of the Bunya tree for a time of feasting, story-telling and conflict resolution. Baroon Pocket was a place of plenty and the Jinibara people welcomed people from near and far to share in their good fortune.”
Goombuckar’s Kerry Neill is well known on the Sunshine Coast because of his innovative Cultural bus, but he is looking forward to finding a permanent home for his Cultural and educational activities. The educational activities will be offered as the “Triballink Centre” and will include story-telling and dance, reconciliation exercises, aboriginal arts and crafts and bush foods and bush skills. Kerry Neill outlined his gratitude for the partnership:
“As a Kabi Kabi man I am so happy the Jinibara people continue their proud heritage of welcoming all people to their country. Australian society is making progress on issues of recognition and reconciliation. The Prime Minister who made the formal apology to the Stolen Generations grew up so close to here, and his gesture of reconciliation, hope and understanding is one we want to continue here in Mapleton. I’m so excited to find a place for these activities and a hopefully large audience to provide it to.”
With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture one of the Cross-curriculum priorities, along with environment and sustainability, QCCC’s Director Andrew Grant suggests these Aboriginal Camp activities are tailor-made for schools to access:
“The Jinibara people have been custodians of this area for thousands of years and they are willing to share their knowledge of land, and customs to all comers. Schools and community groups highly value camps and Outdoor Education because it gets them away from the routine of the everyday for a memorable community experience. When you think about it, what we are trying to offer here has a lot of similarity to the Bunya festival – feasting, story-telling, team-building and conflict resolution. JPAC received native title determination over this area in 2012 so their input, relationship and agreement for our onsite cultural activities is a significant endorsement.”
On the strength of this agreement three new activity areas will be established on the QCCC Mapleton property over the summer so that cultural educational activities can be offered to groups from mid-2018. QCCC has already started an internship program which also provides qualifications in Outdoor Recreation. At least one place in the internship will be set aside annually for Jinibara youth to be trained for employment in the Triballink Centre activities.