UPDATE 13/05/13: This notice is to advise that the Kurunna Mwarre: Listen to me summit, due to be held at Ross River from Tuesday 14 to Thursday 16 May, has been cancelled.
Regretfully, the cancellation is due to widespread rain across Central Australia adversely impacting on both the event venue and delegates from bush communities who have been unable to travel to the venue due to road weather conditions around the region. More rain is forecast across Central Australia over the coming days.
Around 200 delegates will travel from communities and town camps to Ross River to take part in the summit, Kurunna Mwarre: Making my spirit inside me good, which is being held from 14-16 May 2013.
“The summit gives people the opportunity to talk about violence and anti-social behaviour,” explained John Liddle, Ingkintja Male Health Manager at Congress and one of the summit organisers.
“People genuinely want to see change and they want to be empowered to be part of that change.
“This summit is about taking responsibility for the past and taking local ownership to bring about and sustain positive change and healing of spirits.”
The summit is co-facilitated by health service, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and Creating a Safe Supportive Environment Inc. and follows on from previous summits facilitated by Congress’ Ingkintja male health branch, held in 2008 and 2010, where hundreds of Aboriginal males came together to address issues of violence and hurt in Aboriginal communities.
From the initial 2008 summit came the momentous ‘Inteyerrkwe Statement’, which gave a decisive proclamation that Aboriginal males from Central Australia were committed to ensuring safe and happy community environment for their families:
We the Aboriginal males from Central Australia and our visitor brothers from around Australia gathered at Inteyerrkwe in July 2008 to develop strategies to ensure our future roles as grandfathers, fathers, uncles, nephews, brothers, grandsons, and sons in caring for our children in a safe family environment that will lead to a happier, longer life that reflects opportunities experienced by the wider community.
Now, in 2013, both males and females will gather together to put forward positive solutions to help facilitate change.
“We talk a lot about what the problems are,” Mr Liddle said. “Now we want to focus on the solutions.”
“We want our voices to be heard.”
More Information
Download Inteyerrkwe Statement
