Engaging directly with your local Aboriginal community is a fantastic way to improve your knowledge, and a valuable step towards building meaningful community connections. If you don’t already have any direct connections with the community it can be challenging to figure out how to get started. A great information resource is your Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC).
Aboriginal Land Councils are self-funded groups that represent Aboriginal affairs at a state or territory level, with the aim of furthering the aspirations of Aboriginal communities, while protecting their interests. Aboriginal Land Councils provide a strong voice for the Aboriginal people that they represent, and they work hard to maintain and enhance Aboriginal culture, identity, and heritage.
Getting in touch with your LALC will help you on your way to building a lasting relationship with your local Aboriginal community. You will be able to find out who the Traditional Custodians of your area are, as well as the language spoken. You will also be able to discover what land or nations you and your student’s families have connections with, helping to create a greater sense of belonging for children and families. Your local LALC is also your best resource to help you on your way to creating a meaningful Aboriginal community program at your school.
“Educators recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. For Australia, it also includes promoting a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.”
How can your School Engage with, and Learn from Local Aboriginal Communities?
Establish and build lasting links with the local Aboriginal community by attending community events and meetings. If you’d like Aboriginal people to participate in your events and programs then it’s important that you take an interest in local Aboriginal events and participate in them regularly. It’s also a great way to meet people, learn something and make new friends!
- Ask community elders to visit your school and interact with the children
- Invite local Aboriginal organisations/elders to visit the school, perhaps for a morning tea or lunch, and respectfully ask them to share stories and history on your local area
- If you haven’t already, incorporate an “Acknowledgement of Country” or “Welcome to Country” at official school events, ceremonies, and in your daily This will ensure that the culture and history of Aboriginal people are recognised and respected
- Investigate the tribal names of the local traditional custodians and display them
- Include Aboriginal language in signs around the school
- Incorporate language, songs, games, and stories from the local area into a learning
- You can find a map that represents the language, tribal, or nation groups of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia here: aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia
| ACT | United Ngunnawal Elders Council (UNEC): communityservices.act.gov.au/atsia/committees/ ngunnawal_issues |
| NSW | NSW Aboriginal Land Council: www.alc.org.au Sydney: metrolalc.org.au |
| QLD | North Queensland Aboriginal Land Council: nqlc.com.auCentral Queensland (CQLCAC): represented by North Queensland Land Council Cape York Land Council: cylc.org.au |
| NT | Central Land Council: clc.org.au, covering the southern part of mainland Northern TerritoryNorthern Land Council: nlc.org.au, covering the Top End, the northern part of mainland Northern TerritoryTiwi Land Council: tiwilandcouncil.com, covering Bathurst and Melville Islands north of Darwin Anindilyakawa Land Council: anindilyakwa.com.au, covering Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria |
| SA | Anangu Pitjantjatjara Land Council: anangu.com.au. |
| TAS | Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Inc.: tacinc.com.au |
| VIC | Barengi Gadjin Land Council: bglc.com.au, managing a few land parcels in western Victoria. |
| WA | South-West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council: noongar.org.auYamatji Bana Baaba Marlpa Land and Sea Council, covering the Murchison, Gascoyne and Pilbara Regions of Western Australia ymac.org.au. Goldfields Land and Sea Council: glsc.com.au, covering land from Wiluna (on the edge of the Great Central Desert), to Esperance on Australia’s southern coastKimberley Land Council: klc.org.au Ngaanyatjarra Council: ngaanyatjarra.org.au, covering communities in the east of Western Australia, but also around Alice Springs, NT |
| Torres Strait | Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC): tsirc.qld.gov.au, representing Badu, Boigu, Dauan, Erub, Kirriri, Iama, Kubin Community at Moa, Mabuiag, Masig, Mer, Poruma, Saibai, St Pauls Community at Moa, Ugar and Warraber Torres Shire Council (TSC): torres.qld.gov.au, representing Albany Island, Dayman Island, Entrance Island, Friday Island, Goods Island, Horn Island, Little Adolphus Island, Mount Adolphus Island, Packe Island, Port Lihou Island, Possession Island, Prince of Wales Island, Thursday Island, Turtlehead Island and Wednesday Island Northern Peninsula Area Council (NPARC): nparc.qld.gov.au is made up of 5 Indigenous communities on the mainland: 3 Aboriginal comunities (Injinoo, Umagico and New Mapoon) and two Saibai Islander communities (Seisia and Bamaga) Source: Aboriginal land councils – Creative Spirits, retrieved from creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/selfdetermination/aboriginal- land-councils. |
