¶ Preview & Introduction
[Singing]
G'day Anthony James here for The RegenNarration , back amidst clear , moonlit nights here in Derby on Nyikkina Warrwa country in the Kimberley . On the way here , as you've been hearing in recent weeks , we dropped in on Ieramugadu Roebourne .
That's about 1000 kilometres south of here on Highway 1 , 1500 kilometres north of Perth and just a few dozen kilometres north of Karratha in the huge Pilbara region of WA . That's well over twice the size of Great Britain . Just to give you a point of reference .
Ieramugadu Roebourne is a small town of around 1000 people , situated on 3.6 billion year old country , among the oldest on Earth , and it's at the heart of an extraordinary resurgence of ancient cultures that still flies largely under the radar and in the face of ongoing threats .
Part of that resurgence , and covering it , is Ngaarda Media , an independent community broadcaster and media training hub representing and empowering the Aboriginal (ngaarda) of the Pilbara . And heading up the organisation is a Māori woman with a fittingly amazing story too .
Tangiora Hinaki travelled from New Zealand Aotearoa across to Queensland sheep stations when very young and onto a serendipitous encounter in the Pilbara that changed the course of her life and the media landscape in this part of the country .
One of the things that he said to me is that, you do the work , the doors will open . You 're doing news now , but he's like well , we'll be doing news TV soon . I think too , when you speak life or you speak vision , it's a powerful tool to bring it to pass , and that's how I roll .
Those of you who've been listening to this podcast for a while might remember when I first podcast from the region , back when the podcast was just starting in 2018 . My guest then was regenerative pastoralist Evan Pensini , out at Chila Plains for episode 19 .
More recently , at the end of 2021 , in 45 degrees , if you don't mind I spoke with Nullama man , clinton Walker , for episode 109 . We talked about his cultural enterprise development , for which his renown continues to grow , and the incredible part of his home country that is Muraduga Barat Peninsula .
That's the site of the largest rock art collection in the world Around one million petroglyphs , some dating back about 40,000 years . It's been nominated for World Heritage status and is a shoe-in for that , unless it's jeopardised by current industry expansion plans .
So I'd been keen to check in on where things are at , and all the more when , in April , words spread from Nyata Media and onto global media everywhere that the Nyata Media house in Karatha had been raided by police .
The rain took place after a reporter had been taking photos of the removal of three sacred rock art sites by a company called Perterman as it started construction on another , arguably unnecessary fertiliser plant .
So I reached out to Nyata and right about then , paul Cleary my guest for episode 125 , the best-selling author of title fight , how the Injibandi battled and defeated a mining giant right through to the High Court of Australia suggested I speak with its CEO , tangyora . The story of this media outlet and Tangyora herself , he said , really called for it .
So Tangyora and I met up to talk about all that and Nyata's vital coverage of what's happening at Muraduga the community's next response to the apparent defiance of the High Court ruling by that mining giant , and some of the many aspects of cultural resurgence radiating out from in and around the developing studios of Nyata Media .
And , yes , we can vis the vibe around the voice referendum too . Before we start , though , it's great thanks to Robert , neri Kilstra and Nathan Delbu I hope I've pronounced your surnames right for each becoming podcast subscribers and committing to a year of it too . It's what makes this independent , ad-free , listener-supported podcast possible .
So if you're also finding value in it , please consider joining Robert , neri and Nathan and a great community of supporting listeners .
With as little as $3 a month , or whatever amount you can and want to contribute , you can enjoy a variety of benefits , like hearing from me behind the scenes , event invitations , other news from time to time , and , of course , you'll continue to receive the podcast every week . Just head to the website via the show notes regenerationcom .
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¶ Beginnings of Ngaarda Media & Tangiora's Arrival in the Pilbara
Okay , let's join Tangyota back at Nyata Media . Tangyota , thanks so much for speaking with me . Do you want to start by bringing the listeners into where we are exactly ?
So we are on Ngalama Ngora , which is Ngalama land , So we acknowledge the traditional owners of this beautiful country and we are inside an Ngibandi Maya Maya is the Ngibandi word for building house And we're at the back of Ngata Studios in the Gemma area , Beautiful , spacious area . This building has so much history .
I actually met the hairdresser , who's now in her 60s , who used to work in this place . Yeah , as the hairdresser . It was a thriving shop back in the day 60s , 70s But now it is a gem , soon to be video production studio and recording studio for Ngata Media .
Which is super exciting . All right , so Ngata Media when did that populate ? Did it start in this building , in the front of this building ?
No , so there is another Maya Ngibandi Maya called Jula Walu Aboriginal Corporation And they were based in Shoal Street , which is in Roeburn , erema Guru , and it was in an old rickety house back in the day . So I worked here about 15 years ago in this little room with an old studio desk , and that's where Ngata Radio first started .
Well , was before it came here to this new building right across the road from the cafe where downtown Roeburn . But what's quite interesting about the old studio room was that Michael Woodley , who's very well known he's CEO of Erema Niajibani Aboriginal Corporation . He is the one that started Ngata Radio back in the day .
So when I came here many years ago I've been here for 17 years Michael Woodley asked me if my family and I would like to volunteer because there was no one in the studio . It was just on an automation . Oh really , wow , yes , just automated music , no programs , no manager , no volunteers .
But there was a vision for what it could be .
Exactly , there was a vision for what it could be , even though that vision was not known at the time , not even by myself , you know , because I was . I just came rocked up here in a bus with six children I don't have eight homeschooling , really , yes , and my background is a wool class so we had our own sharing run in Dalwala New .
So I didn't even have the vision Like it's mind-blowing , like where we are now .
It is mind-blowing . So Michael had the vision . Then you happened to be here . So what did you do ?
So as a homeschooling family , we were blessed to come to Roeburn . We were living in a bus out at Cleaverville , oh yes , and then cyclone season was approaching .
That's about what 40k away is it .
Yeah , no , not 40k , not even 40k , it's not even that . It's probably about 10 kilometres towards Kouratha And that's where the grey nomads go in the winter season to escape the cold from Perth And we were there with six children at the time and homeschooling . So I'm always looking for educational activities for my children to do So here at the library .
The Film and Television Institute was coming to town from Perth and it was the first 15 people to sign up . You can learn about filming , storyboarding , storytelling , editing . So I thought , oh great , it's a great little education experience for my mob . And so that's where we started . Long story short my children and I . We made a film about Stranger Danger .
There was a screening in Roeburn at a Maghru . Michael Woodley and the family saw it and then he approached me and said would you and your family like to come and have your own show ? So I thought , great , another education experience , that for my children and myself . So that's where we started 15 years ago .
And then eventually they got a manager in and they started to be more structured , a program here and there . But then I went on to work at the ABC in . Kouratha . That was after , so I went on to move . It was a tough decision to go , but also I was pregnant when I was seven as well .
So I'm a full-on mother at the moment , which is another career in itself 100% . I don't know , he's a big CEO here as well , but we might get done , but anyway I ended up going for the Saturday breakfast job at the ABC in Kouratha . I got it And I was there for eight years .
I did morning producer breakfast duties , i was the breakfast presenter and producer , i did cyclone coverage , but seven years ago decided to leave And then I came back to the beautiful kind of media where it all started for me as its CEO .
Wow , there you go . So let's back up a little further . You're from Māori woman from Aotearoa , new Zealand . Where did you grow up ? Was it still in Aotearoa ? Yes , and when did you come here ? Where did that story play out ?
That's an awesome story in itself . So I was 17 . And my boyfriend at the time , who's now my beautiful husband Rans , was six years older than me . We were working in the sharing sheds My mother's boyfriend at the time .
He got three FAs for two gun Rousies and a sharer And I begged him to take Randall and I's the Rousies , and it was going to be in a place called Bullier which is four hours inland of Mount Isa in Queensland . So that was in 1993 when we left New Zealand . So I was born and raised there .
I know about my Māori culture , i know how to do the haka , i know a little bit of the language . But we left New Zealand in 93 to embark on a new journey . So we hit the Brisbane airport then on a bus for 28 hours . So I used to think Hastings to Auckland was long , that's an eight hour journey . But 28 hours later we arrived in Mount Isa .
Then the cocky was there with his U . We were on the back of the U And then we drove four hours inland to a Old country town called Bullion And that was the first time that we saw Aboriginal people . It was the first time we heard about Sliv Dusty .
We didn't grow up with country music And our first shed that we did had 20,000 sheep at Amelia Station , so it was a great welcome to the outback of Australia .
It sounds like you relished it , even though it would have been so different .
Look , i did relish it because it was an adventure , it was exciting . We're in a new place , we were making good coin . You know , as young people , you know no children as well at the time And just you know , living the dream , i suppose , of the Australian dream of coming here and working . But I must say when I did come I wasn't a gun mousy .
And then , when you know , i started to see you know the blood on the sheep and the poo and the wee and the maggots , i was like I don't want to touch it But anyway I had to hard it up very quickly because I had to pay my airfield .
But you know , those were the days , i think , for my darling and I to grow together in love , both from once we're Rory's background . Domestic violence , so it was . I think that was really when I looked back to move away from that setting really gave us a good start and the miracle that we are still together today with eight children .
That is beautiful . Yes , i was . my next sort of curiosity was wondering how , what your culture from there means to you . now , having been away or having been here and it found a home here and love sort of consummated here , what does it mean for you , the culture that you've carried from there ?
Well , working here on Ngāla Māngora with the mob . You know , and I suppose we do work closely with Injibundi . They're our friends , they're our family and they have pretty much found , you know , that desire to learn my language fluently , whereas , you know , being 17 , i didn't really care about that . You know , even in my 20s I was raising my children .
We were sharing contractors , going through
¶ Transformation of Ngaarda Media & Tangiora's Connection with Aboriginal Culture
life . But when I came to Robe in the last 17 years , that's when I probably started on my own personal journey to embrace my culture . There you go . I didn't know much about colonisation like I do now working in the space . So now I see it as a way to decolonise . You know , embracing our names Tangi Ora .
You know you can't show them it , it's Tangi Ora . You know I'm a grandmother . My 18-year-old son is a father and so , passing that , i've been speaking Māori to my grandson . So it's really important . Also , you know we all have our lā , our markings , our tamu ko .
My eldest son , hemi , has that tamu ko and that's our whakapapa , which means our family treats our inheritance , our right from our ancestors , even though we've been here for 20 years . My children , ken Haka , they want tamu ko , they love being Māori , even though they're Australian Māori . They were born here .
So , yeah , this part of my life in the Pilbara has really brought my culture to life .
How interesting of the things you perhaps on the surface wouldn't expect . But I guess it says something about I don't know . Does it say something about how Indigenous cultures can connect and experience their resurgence and recovery together ?
Well , even more so , i think because of the colour of my skin , i was able to integrate quite easily in Roeburn , whereas if I was a white person I don't think it would have been as easy . Also , we have similarities in regards to issues with my Māori mob in Aotearoa . Māori people are not finishing their education like the rest of the visitors there .
You know we're sick , sicker than the rest of the visitors there , and that's why you know we can relate to Aboriginal people , but not only that . culturally , you know there's we have our spiritual beliefs , we have our superstitions , we have our bush taka , we have our sing , our songs , our dances .
and you know I've sat around the fire sharing my songs and my stories with mob who've also shared theirs with me .
Beautiful thing . So you've clearly become a passionate advocate and worker in the space of Nata Media and First Nations Media generally . I don't think it's still widely understood or appreciated how important these places are And let's just say this place for here . Get to that from your perspective .
What does it mean to be for Nata Media to exist and a bit of how it goes about its work ?
So I've been here for seven years . So when I came here this is my seventh year When I came seven years ago there was no breakfast show , there was no news . Maybe there was a lunchtime show , every now and then a few community announcements .
So I pretty much brought a massive change and especially for the people that were already here imagine starting work at nine o'clock ten You know I'll do a show here , i'll do a show there . So when I came to the picture I said okay , news start time . And I knew they wouldn't be able to handle 630 . But that's why you know what I mean .
You have to slowly work them towards that , because they've had four years of doing it their way . So that was a challenge , but I had the backing of my board and my wonderful chairperson , lorraine Coppin .
That gave me He's the wife of Michael , yes , and that gave me the courage to be bold in what I was going to bring to Ngata Media And pretty much the vision which my board just supported me pretty much . They said go and do something great with it . Here's the keys Unreal , work your magic .
And for my eight years experience at the ABC , i did bring an ABC model , however with a First Nations vibe , meaning we work hard to seek our own First Nation experts to talk on issues , just like what you would hear on the ABC . You'd hear on our programs , but you would most of the time be hearing from First Nation experts . That consistency was important .
First , just getting the people , the workers , used to that every day . Oh , we're doing this every day . Oh , wow , we need to do interviews every day to fill up the next day . It's a daily grind and it's work , but it's rewarding work When you think that you can be a mouthpiece for all the tribes .
In the Pilma there's 31 tribes that we represent And we go out our way to ring them . And Tom Price , you know Jandamana , porhehidha , mara , paguriniya , talking to their elders , building relationship .
And we did so well with our online footprint , because that was my plan of attack was to create content , because I'm a filmmaker , fly drones , plus I do radio , and then , as we started to grow that Facebook platform , that's when , i think you know , the magic start to happen for Ngaara Media .
So we got a phone call from the Judith Nielsen Institute of Journalism . I'd never heard of them . I was like who Me ? neither . Yeah , we want to give you $50,000 to pilot a news program because we like your online footprint . So that was amazing news to me because at that time I struggled writing grants . I love creating content writing grants .
Meh , But it has to be done , especially if you're the CEO and the manager . you need to build , grow , look for money , keep people employed . You know what I mean Yeah , responsibility . Responsibility , exactly So . and I remember saying to Michael Woodley oh , come and get someone else to write grants .
I said and he goes , oh , it sounds like you don't want to be the manager , the CEO . I was like , oh , yes , i do . Well , then you better like start writing , grants and all that . But you know , we are in a better place now . I mean , you've come at a time where we've got this is like a milestone to have this many workers .
When I started , it was just me and one other person Well , there were two others , but he moved on . So that was us for the first two years , until I could find money to bring other people on .
And now more is coming in to do this studio part out where we sit Exactly .
And just quickly on that news . So we are the only First Nations media hub in WA that does statewide news . So all of our partners , which is Nungar Radio , perth , ngarengata Media on the Lands , gibson Desert , dukumba Radio , kowguli Radio , mama , jelton , gulari Pakken , they all take our news And our mob are proud . I'm proud .
Oh , that's amazing , and it's also widened our catchment of stories . So you know we've created relationships with Nungar elders and we know who are the people that we can speak to now and Kowguli or because that's all important to be deadly of what you do and you know current affairs and also to be a force to be reckoned with from other mainstream media .
You know we're breaking stories before the ABC and we love it .
Oh , 100% . I mean this is how I came across you largely . I mean it started to be a regular part of the media I would access daily , which is partly also a reflection of the exasperation I have at mainstream media For so many reasons .
I mean I could say first and foremost that the negativity , bias , the narrowness which of course my podcast is a part response to as well , but also I mean , when I think about media and you sort of briefly alluded to it before the lack of diversity , certainly of ownership , firstly , that it's such a concentrated media landscape which is a massive problem And if
your interest is in empowered democratic society and much more than self-determination at this level of community and lack of diversity in terms of culture . Still , despite best intent , in some places , like the ABC for example , it's still very white .
Yes , and we've had the recent I mean Australians will be probably very familiar with Stan Grant and his experience leaving the ABC recently , really highlighting the point And good for that , at least that it's a bit of a national conversation at the moment .
So in that context , the value of media like this occurs to me from the semi-outside as enormous on many , many fronts , for local people , but also statewide in this case , and even nationally in essence .
That was most definitely so
¶ How it Works & Where it's Heading
. What happened once we started to grow in ? our online footprint started to grow . So when I started seven years ago , we had 1100 followers . We now have 29,000 . So that's amazing growth in that time . But then people wanted to partner with us . So that's when .
So we do partner with a national news agency , with the community broadcast , the association We got sponsored to put it in this whiz bang software in our newsroom . It's called Burley , which allows the journalists in Sydney to help themselves and cherry pick stories from us And our grabs and vice versa .
We can cherry pick , but we don't really , because they're pretty much banging on about what other mainstream media is banging on about , and they love us because of the unique grass roots flavour that we bring to the table . And I think it's important when you get a national story that's breaking . I only want to do it if I find someone that cares locally .
Yeah , totally Yeah . Why re-gigitate it ? They all do in it . Let's do something different , unique .
And , like we've said , sort of off air before . there's so many stories , so many great stories , let alone the other type of story that we need to bring to light as well , but there's so many great stories happening in places like this that otherwise don't get told . So the fact that you're tapping those communities and they're able to share themselves is huge .
Well , another exciting project that we're working on is we're putting in small mini-art media studios . So one is going into on , so we've already got funding . We're going to work with the Thar Lange Mob there . One is going into Jandamana , tom Price .
We're going to work with Bajima Mob there , and then the other one will be in Poor Headland once we get our license up and running there . But we've heard a cry from mob say well , what about us ? We want to be able to tell our stories , but they can't just get in the car three hours down the road . So that's the way to do .
It is we find the funding , we partner with a local Aboriginal org and then we put a studio in there .
Yeah , that's Danny , and you've talked a bit about this being attracted and that being attracted and a bit of magic happening . I'm equally curious at that level , like how this is coming on . It sounds like there's an element of you're working hard and there's a vision , but then there's an element , yeah , of attraction , that stuff sort of just happens .
What's your experience ?
of that . Well , michael Woodley and Lorraine Cobbett , you know mentors of mine . And Mr Woodley , when I told him in the beginning about , oh , grants , i can't write grants . Or you know how do I sell advertisement like marketing , you know , because I came in as a content creator , journalist , but you know he coached me along the way .
But one of the things that he said to me is that you know , you do the work , the doors will open . You know you're doing news now , but he's like well , we'll be doing news TV soon . So you imagine , you imagine to be partnered with Seven News And now we're heading to the Northwest .
You know it's one of our own mob reporting on the ground here in our new studio what's doing . And I think too , when you speak life or you speak vision , it's a powerful tool to bring it to pass . And that's how I roll , truly .
Yeah , so much in that And some of the other work you do brings on new people into this space too .
eh , Most definitely . You know I just shared with you earlier about the CBAA partnering with us , sponsoring us to get this amazing software . We've met virtual reality experts for you . We've done workshops to move in that 360 space as well .
We were recently received a funding for brand new band equipment which we envision will support all our First Nation tribes to come here to learn , to grow , to release their EPs or singles .
But I think the bigger vision and it's in our strategic plan that we will be a learning media hub for all the tribes of every aspect of media , which will lead me to say that Robo regional prison we have a strong partnership with them . We are actually a host where prisoners who are on good behavior can come out with a chaperone and do their own shows .
But we're about to open a new studio inside the prison , So that's hopefully opening in July . It's ready to rock and roll And we will then go in .
We will train and work with inmates to create their own programs inside And then we will play it on the outside once it's fitted , because at the moment we've got a weekly prison show , but they send in their requests and we produce it from here , But they'll be able to take ownership of that .
Not only that , we're going to Canada , we're going to Vancouver and September I'm taking two of our First Nation reporters And these are the opportunities and the magic and the doors that open and the people that come and speak into our lives , that create these amazing opportunities . We're going for the Healing Our Spirit World Conference .
Yes , So First Nations , Māori , Aboriginal First Nations , Canadian Indians , people from around the world will converge there And so we're pitching that . We'll do outside radio broadcasts there and then we'll send it back to First Nations Media Australia then they can share it with the mob , So we'll be a mouthpiece there in Canada .
Wow , when I hear that , i think what happens in places like this , then , is so much more than what's on the surface , like what's on the surface is good , but if you're talking , it's a Healing . Our Spirit World Conference , exactly , it's doing some profound things .
And when you think about the closing the gap targets that the federal government speak about all the time , it is very important that we see Aboriginal mob . Well , i'm just . I'm talking from an media perspective . You know , walk in the store , be trained up , gain confidence to be on air travel , because they've never would have traveled before Media .
We don't pay what you know miners pay here . People make a lot of money here , but you will get the most rewarding experience You will get to travel . You will learn so much because of the people we meet and interview . It's the best job to have . So , as you know , creative , but not just with one talking . But , you know , let's fly a drone today .
Yeah , let's get the 360 film out . Let's have a play with that . I know , i want to . Actually , you know , cassie , who's our new audio engineer . Cassie , can you go and make up a jingle for us ? You know what I mean , Like having every , everything at our fingertips to create something magical in this space .
And this is that blend to AVE which I'm seeing a lot more of really welcomed by by elders too is is the blend of modern technologies with traditional knowledge systems .
Yes , and what I love is that you know First Nations are jumping on board , you know the technical train across the nation And by telling their stories and archiving them in a different way whether it's through VR or through filming , you know , through different aspects of storytelling it's there for future generations . And also some of those stories are tough stories .
It's the stolen generation stories . It's the lock hospital stories . You know about the lock hospitals ? Oh my gosh , not many people do . But let me just quickly tell you you came through Canavan . There's a couple of islands off the coast of Canavan . One is called Dory Island .
I forgot what the other one is , but back in the day when kids were being stolen and there was , you know , stolen wages and things were just miserable for mob They have .
You know , the colonizers had to make it even more miserable by chaining up people with suspected venereal diseases , taking them to an island , poking and prodding , testing and they'd just be there for the rest of their life until they died , ripped away from families . I've never heard of this . That is called the lock hospital history . Not many people have .
No , well , when you think of stories like what's ultimately come to be understood as the worst concentration camp in colonial Australia's history at Rotnest what's that ? Wajamup at Rotnest Island , off Perth , which became , you know , a holiday resort of all things , but with that knowledge suppressed .
But we're coming to know stories like this , but I've never heard of that story . There are so many more stories like that , aren't ?
there . Well , i was there it might have been five or six years ago when they unveiled the statue of a woman who's you know crying and her child , and they're pointing towards the island you know , their loved ones . Minister MacTennan was there at the time And she also said I had not heard about this history Yeah So you know what I mean .
And there you go , and that's why we need to tell these stories and keep talking about it every year and on those anniversaries , lest we forget .
Speaking of the tough stories , but also the incredible aspect of it as well . You kindly had me and my family on your show this morning , which our young boy loved , by the way , and this came up a little bit . But I'm curious where it's at now , and what I'm talking about is Paul Cleary's book .
So our means of connection through Paul Cleary , his book title fight . He was on the podcast last year talking about it when him and Michael finally got to launch it in Perth a real coded stuff .
¶ The latest on Title Fight & Murujuga, & the Role of Media
It's such an extraordinary thing for community to go all well , to be dragged all the way to the High Court to defend country from a mining magnate and win , Yet the mining continued . Where's that sitting now ? Is that still the state of play It is ?
still the state of play And I think and I'm very careful of how I speak about this as a Māori woman . But I've been living in community for 17 years and I've seen the challenges that FMG have brought to this beautiful community .
I've seen the division that FMG have brought to this community And it's just shocking , like our state government , how the old heritage , wa heritage bill allowed FMG to continue mining and not paying any rent for 17 years .
It's atrocious And I will keep my comments mainly about FMG , but it's been very heart-wrenching for me as a community member to see how it's impacted families who are tied up in that .
No , i hear you . Yes , yeah , and I imagine , though I mean having won that High Court case and having it be defied like that extraordinarily , really . The next step was a compensation battle , if you will , in the courts that the community had then had to wage , And all they're asking for , as I understand it , is what other mining companies do as standard .
So it's not even an extraordinary thing , but for some reason FMG finds it hard to come to , or for many reasons which obviously Paul's book goes into . So that compensation case , is that in progress still Definitely .
Yeah , so Injibandi are working with lawyers to analyse 17 years . how much was made . what does that look like in regards to percentages ? that should come back to Injibandi And then , once they get that figure and they get it right , then it'll be breaking news . So I think we will be hearing about it , definitely in 2023 .
We were supposed to about it earlier this year , but there was a pause , so I think that we will hear shortly .
It stands to be a huge piece of news .
Definitely , and my hope is that it's a win for Injibandi And all Injibandi .
Yes , and by extension , i think , as Paul was arguing too , the standard or what it shows for other mob around the country and for a solve . I think , even as white fellas , you just want what's right , what's right and fair , and so that it would show what's possible to others . That that can be achieved would seem to be huge .
Yes , most definitely . You're probably aware of when Nonga mob got their massive payout for Nonga Buzha .
Then it's southwest of West Australia for those people .
Exactly So . I think that might have been . I think when I read about it it was the biggest claim at the time , so I think this one will far exceed that 17 years long time .
Oh , and so much damage . I mean the jukin gorgeous , if you like . The damage that would have been done to that money will never touch , but at least we get that much and that recognition of justice .
And speaking of the other tough stories , but of course incredible too in its own right , ruraj Juga , nominated for World Heritage , now long awaited , like it's just a million plus petroglyphs .
Again , we've talked about it with Clinton Walker , of course as you know out at Heason's Cove talked about some of the again the torrid history of the area , which , again , is little known but needs to be known , but also the extraordinary resurgence of culture happening there as well .
And this World Heritage nomination which we talk to anyone and it's a shoo-in , i mean , the largest expanse of rock art anywhere in the world over 40,000 years plus . amazing to be able to walk into it , but , of course , confronting to turn around and see heavy industry .
but not only is there from the 70s but is being expanded now All the more with things we don't we sort of urgently don't need anymore , if that makes sense around . not just the gas , obviously , but the urea plant too . nitrogen's proven to be such a dramatic killer of life in farming systems , so we really need to move away from all these things .
but yet we've got this industry expansion in this nominated World Heritage area , potentially doing enormous damage to the rock art . And now , with the fertilizer plant being literally with rock art being moved , and this did .
it was a case of hitting national airwaves recently , with one of your reporters being raided by the police after she took photos and being picked up on the road while she took photos of this happening . What's been the upshot of that in the last few weeks ?
So that was quite challenging all around . Eliza Clozer was a cadet with us , so she's fresh out of university , four months in , with Nata Media as our lead journalist at the time . It was shocking to her and to us and to the nation that she was pulled over . But of course there's a backstory . you know the backstory .
With the housemate .
Yeah , yeah , so you know the backstory with the housemate .
Who went to the ? was it the Woodside HQ ?
Like the police , wa police reaction to our former journalist was over the top . We can go out there , anybody can go out . Take a photo here .
It was public . Land is the important thing .
Exactly , and I think it was , you know , extremely over the top there to raid the Nata Media house , and so what it did is , i think , it just made the WA police look like they've got egg on their face . By doing something that was not necessary .
And what's the general ? like the real story that's going on too out there . What effect is that having ? How are people around here seeing that ?
Well , a lot of people think , yay , more jobs . Yay , don't give , don't care anything about the rock , art and the structure . That's a true story . They walk amongst us And then , on the other hand , you know we've got our First Nation advocates who were saying , no , we've got our . You know our environmentalists who were saying , no , this is not good enough .
You had a choice . You know you could have gone 20 kilometers down the road to mainland , but no , you thought you wanted to put it there . Spend the extra money , get out of that area And enough is enough .
So I think that there is that win-win which Clinton talked about last year as well . That I mean , sure , a bit more costly , but in the context of things , bungarol .
Yes , in the context of how much money they make Bungarol , I think , from art and media . What's tough for us is when we tell the story and we do it in a fair and balanced way , by asking Mooda Juga Aboriginal Corporation how they feel .
That's a challenge Native title authority who signed off on the project happening . But there have been certainly members of the community . I mean Clinton was one who used to be on the board of that corporation , who isn't now , and there's just there's contest around that .
I guess if we can , say Yeah , and as a First Nations media , those are the challenging stories to tell When we're spotlighting other First Nations organisations in our patch who don't want us necessarily to be telling these stories all the time .
Yeah , but that's you'd like to think that , ultimately , we can all embrace the role of media to bring stories to light , to generate public conversation that's not demonising at the same time , right ? So Yes , and .
I think as well , if we do our due diligence to tell the story , to get all the people involved to have their say , take it on the chin . Yeah . Yeah , You know this is public interest . Let us do our job well . That's why we're deadly . Yeah , You know , we don't want to be known as a marshmallow station that only does this story here .
We don't want to step on your toes or we'll be careful of you . No , let us be truth tellers , Because what it's going to be eventually is that truth telling makes sure that all the dirty laundry is aired and then a righteous path can then be taken to move forward in a good way .
There's so much to be said about that across this country , isn't it when you say , the truth telling we need ? well , you used the word bold before too , right ? Yes , we need this more . We need media to do that big picture , truth telling thing .
Exactly , and a lot of our First Nation media community stations . They don't have the training to do that . Nada media has been successful because I received training from the ABC , so there's not many of us doing these stories . I mean , there's NITV .
They've got the resources , you know , but they aren't shining a light as much as they should do on PILBA stories , kimberly stories , wa stories . But we are . So I just say you know , work with us , let us do our job . You make sure that you guys keep your laundry clean .
You know we'll make sure that we do it , you know , in a fair way , which means we'll even go so far . Here's my script .
You don't think it really .
What do you think You know ? do you want me to make any changes ? I don't believe ABC journalists will do that . They pretty much get the facts , Write it up , spit it out . But we have to go one step extra because , honestly , we're living in the outback , we're very close to mob .
We need to maintain strong relationship and , at the same time , be bold , courageous straight-tailors . So it's a fine line .
You know , speaking with my MP , who's one of the independent women MPs , the so-called Teals , who won down in the federal seat of Curtin Wajak , nonga country , near Perth , and we're talking about Moorjuga , and she's like it's so hard for me to know who to respond to and how to respond about what's happening at Moorjuga when Mac signs off on it , like that's
supposed to be where I look . Oh , has that been done ? Yes , okay , so that should be okay . What's your take on how people who are afar and in that case , decision makers too , who are afar on where they should look for authority ? Does it need to be broader ?
Do the voices they listen to need to be broader , even though , definitely , the law says it's just that voice that's required ?
Well , and you can say the same thing for federal government and state government . You know they have , you know that's where it's at . They make the laws of the land . But we have that broader voice , don't we ? We do For accountability , yeah , so it is much the same for our elders .
You know , i know one of my own elders , tutsi Daniel and then Jibadi Elder , who sits on my board , is against , you know , more construction there , the removal of rock art .
But you know , i've just been very careful about what I say here , of course , So you know , in a way it's like you know , we have this system of representing democracy broadly .
¶ Importance of Media in Broader Conversations
In a way , this is another case . hey , we have a board at Mac , but there's also an element of direct engagement that we do right With stuff . we consult , even that's got its shallowness , but we have deliberative processes even now that we can get out to communities and run broader processes .
And in that sense I think now to media , and places like it are all the more important . If you guys are potentially the only place that broker those broader conversations around issues , it's all the more important .
Look it is , and NITV could be using us a lot more . We're here on the ground . We could be , you know , producing a lot more stories for First Nations media . Use us .
I have to ask , of course , about the voice . It came up on the radio this morning to Iowan . Yisho , what are you picking up on the ground here about the voice referendum ?
Look , they're in Robyn , like Robyn alone . I'll talk about Robyn . A lot of the organisations are guests to the voice As a media station that likes to get both sides of the story . We have had First Nations people on who are saying no , and they've given their reasons why , but it's not been as much as we've had the yes .
Yeah , it seems to be what I'm saying today Exactly . There's been more people that are full yes to voice to parliament .
When you go out into community , like if I was to go out to community today and I was to see a jada or a juju , like an old lady or an old man , and I was to say tell me about the voice to parliament , what do you know about it I believe they would say say what I think in the regions , like non-amidst here to do explainers and to keep it there .
But you know some of our elderly and I mean just people in general the message isn't getting through . I think maybe the way that it's being told is not simplified enough or done in layman's terms for true understanding .
And like we heard on the radio this morning from Jane Tiddum who said look , i say yes , but a lot more work needs to be done on the ground . A lot of people still don't really understand what it is . What I have been hearing from people who have , who are trying to persuade the no to the voice parties , is that , look , you know , it's a step .
It's better than nothing . It's a step in the right direction for us to have a voice . Let's think about what it looks like later , because that's important , like what we're doing from Jane Tiddum's . People need to make sure that they've got people by elders at the table .
The government will need to work with representatives from each area across Australia to truly get this right .
So it is bigger than being heard . But what a beautiful thing that this would be a national conversation .
Yes , exactly . You can't just have you know , pick a few people . You have to do it properly , Otherwise it won't work .
I keep thinking of the importance of your role again in all this as well , and as we work towards the close it does , i have to express to you I think I've done it before , but on in now that this little town , big region , of course little town there's so much going on here .
That's extraordinary , and I think it's all steps full circle from where we started . Hey , the vision setters , some of the elders around the place , whether we're talking about the arts and the gallery across the road , the supermarket , so that's run by the Nalama Yinjibandi Foundation .
That's right , the fault And the refurb of the Old Victoria Hotel was done by them too , and that's sort of in a change of lease now , as .
I understand , and that's owned by .
Yinjibandi And the supermarket , fully indigenous run and owned , not for profit , and gives a lot of its food to then members for free or low cost . Yes , just awesome stuff , i mean . Again , i think some of these things are models for towns everywhere .
Well , exactly , i mean , when you think about the stories that have come out of the Kimberley , you know small stores in the middle of nowhere charging $30 for four chops . food security definitely came out of COVID . This project came out of COVID to make sure that there was food security for families .
Wow , because the issue was there anyway before , wasn't it , with so much junk food going through ? Because that was the affordable stuff , exactly . So again , covid was a catalyst to just fix it like get to the heart of it , but create a model .
Well , i mean , i'm just going to say this , i think , don't think nothing's going to change , but you know the local fuel station , i mean that's the most popular place . Coke fast foods Yeah , the exact same . No true story . Yeah , yeah , easy access right here in the town . But we have this deadly supermarket food security where you can get veggies .
So we just yeah And ingredients and other things .
Exactly So . There's programs there encouraging all of us to eat well , to take care of ourselves . We're just going to keep preaching that word and fighting on And , you know , hopefully those changes will slowly start to take place .
Yeah , And Jula Walu is the arts group that Lorraine set up to right . I think she founded that , is that right .
Well , actually she's founded Jula Walu Aboriginal Corporation , right , so she's the CEO of that And That's an archiving service for Injibunni knowledge , songs , culture . She started that when she was young . She's got recordings of elders who have passed on to the drink time .
It's an amazing encyclopedia of Injibunni knowledge that she has and it's in a safe , at a particular temperature , so well protected . The Jula Waluwak group is a breakthrough for that And , yeah , they are successful doing well . They've got a center in Balu Perth . They've been on the runway , they're online . Yeah , they're doing amazing things .
It's amazing , and do you , as Nauta Media , do you get to collaborate in like air some of this ?
stuff ? Definitely , yes , definitely . Yeah . We did a series called Jula Waluwak Gems , yeah , so , where we were able to play snippets with permission of Injibunni people , we played it on Marion Chidi's national show And , yeah , just hearing stories about the eagle that Maiar in Bangal told You would have read about him , ned Chidi .
Oh , yes , yes , Oh . The picture in Paul's book .
Yes , well , that's Marion's dad , marion Chidi's dad .
I just met Marion at the front . You know his stories it's beautiful .
I've watched a lot of those videos to see them all there on country .
Oh , beautiful , what's your what's ?
didn't have this as a thing to ask you , necessarily , but I wonder , in closing , what your feeling is , you know , with the state of the world , the state of the country even , which many people despair at , but obviously the flavor of our conversation hasn't been , you know , looking away from the dark stuff , but certainly the extraordinary leadership and the stuff
that is coming on and attracting more of is all there . I'm wondering , sort of in a big picture , sense yourself how you feel about the state of the world or the state of the country , what your work and your life , how that places you to interpret that big picture . How do you feel about it ?
So that big picture and what we see in the world is quite confrontational for journalists because we , you know it can become too much . We're always watching the news , we're always seeing what's breaking . We , we follow certain interests , you know , around the world .
¶ How Tangiora Approaches the State of the World, & She Sings for Us
I like to look at what's going on in Israel , you know , back home in Altairua , new Zealand , but right now my focus , you know , is what happens here in the Pilgrim of the Kimberley State , i think , with all the atrocities that happen , and you see it everywhere TikTok , instagram . There's good stories , but there's a lot of Yeah , there is a lot .
Really , it's a lot of sad stories here that we need to do our part as human beings to live our best lives , to be kind , love your neighbors as yourself , you know , to speak life into the darkness . We can't get too bogged down with the darkness because it's there , but we can overcome that darkness with the good that we do .
And I should give a shout out actually to our elders in moment . I don't think there was a there probably is , but we have elders here in Robin that go to the park every night and pray for Robin . They pray for Robin . I see them every night , without fail . They pray for us .
I think , wow , in a way , they're holding back the darkness , pushing it back with the light , and so we are blessed because of that . I think things could be a lot worse in this community if we didn't have our elders praying for us .
To think ceremony is alive .
Yes , yes yes , every day .
Like it always was . Wow , Thanks , Tangyota . Incredible to speak with you . You might remember I mentioned before we go out talking or performing a little tune , a little bit of music . You are a song woman , I am . I love to sing . Do you want to bring something ?
to the table right now , do you ?
want to just let Rip on something .
Yeah , why not ? I mean , let me think of a song that's profound for this place and where I am . Oh yeah , I will . I'll see a song in Māori , so just to share with you , just quickly . So I'm a believer . I'm a believer in Yeshua . Who was Yeshua ? He was the first nations man from Israel .
He wasn't the colonized version that we see with the blue eyes and the white face that the Catholics and the Anglicans push out there .
It is one of the funniest quote unquote things of all time that we should have those pictures and it makes no sense at all .
I know , And I really got set free when I got that understanding , because a lot of my mom feel in New Zealand that Christianity is the colonized religion because it was King James Version . the early missionaries from Britain boarded over , However , those British colonizers . they accepted the truth from a first nations man by the name of Jesus Christ .
So on that note , I'm going to sing a song in my language that is pretty much honoring the creator of all things . I'm going to sing a song in my language .
Thank you so much for that . Thanks so much for speaking with me , thanks so much for your warm welcome into this place . It's been just terrific .
You're welcome , thank you .
That was Tangiora Hinaki . For more on Tangiora , Ngaarda Media and those previous episodes coming from the Pilbara , see the links in the show notes . Incidentally , the highly respected climate scientist Bill Hare is in no doubt the pollutants generated by industry around Murujuga are already affecting the rock art directly , let alone where various sites are being removed .
On those removals , in trying to imagine parallels , i've actually had some local white fellas say to me this is like moving the graves of our ancestors , or perhaps blocks from Rome's Colosseum , for example .
This episode comes to you in Naidoc Week , Australia's nationwide celebration and recognition of the history , culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples . This year's theme is for our elders . how fitting it was . then . where Tangiora left off .
I believe Ngaarda Media is broadcasting live right now from another famous week-long festival , Karajini Experience . You can stream it on the internet wherever you are and , of course , get along to the festival if you can .
And just after we left Tangiora , NASA , or NASA , returned to the region , to Marble Bar , commonly the hottest place in Australia and where the space agency conducts investigations to better prepare them for their journeys to Mars . Ngaarda was invited to broadcast live from there too . Oh , and if you'd like to hear me and the family on Tangiora's breakfast show .
¶ Podcast Subscription and Support Request
I'll share that with subscribers to the podcast , along with other behind the scenes news of what's unfolding as we get around the country , and if you've been thinking about becoming a subscriber , i'd love you to join us . It's with thanks , as always , to this community of generous supporters that this episode was made possible .
Just head to the website via the show notes regennarration . com forward slash support And thanks again . And thanks for sharing the podcast , too , whenever you can think of someone who might enjoy it , and for continuing to rate and review the podcast on your favourite app . It all helps .
The music you're hearing is Regeneration by Amelia Barden , off the soundtrack to the film Regenerating Australia . My name's Anthony James . Thanks for listening .