Collaborations

Marthakal Champion
Oscar Datjarranga

Marthakal meeting report

Marthakal Homeland Resource Centre

Oscar Datjarranga is the Manager of the Marthakal Homeland Resource Centre (MHRC), He has held this position for about 5 years. Prior to this appointment he was Chairman of the Galiwin’ku Council.

Oscar has strong convictions, and is determined to fight for his people. “I want help my people. I want to talk with governments so they understand the situation of the homelands.

"People don’t want to be left behind, there are opportunities but there’s no infrastructure. Governments are wrong, very wrong when they say we ‘Indigenous peoples don’t want to work’, or that ‘Indigenous peoples are nomads’, they must not say these things. They must recognise the truth, see us for the skills we have, and put the infrastructure into homelands so we can work with the balanda world. This must happen in homelands. Not in the towns like this Galiwin’ku, Elcho Island.”

“I work hard and have committed myself to the people on their homelands. We had a meeting at Rorru with parents and elders from other homelands. Parents were clear, they don’t want to send their children away to town like Galiwin’ku, where they will be under bad influences. Parents are insistent that the children stay on their Homelands, so the children will not be adversely affected by life in the towns like Galiwin’ku . We don’t want our children influenced by the bad things in the larger towns, like teenage pregnancy, suicide, substance abuse, arguments, boredom.”

“I have a responsibility to tell governments the truth. Governments only give infrastructure to the towns, missions, but we are from homelands. That is where our maḏayin is, it is where our Law is, where we have a right to talk.”

“Many people pretend they know how to do things, but they don’t. In the homelands people are determined to take over and take up what ever opportunities they are offered. This is because we can, because we are on our own land .”

“I’ve been at Marthakal for five years now, and haven’t been learning, because I didn’t have a mentor. I spoke with the OIPC and they provided a position for Graham to assist John, now John has time to work closely with me. I want to learn more about report writing, replying to emails, using the internet, and the harder English words.”

“I can’t leave Marthakal until I see changes for the better. I cry inside for the people living on their homelands.”

21 August 2006