by woppaburra
The primary objective of YILUM is to provide a space for intergenerational learning (generational trauma meets intergenerational education), with a strong emphasis on how to support each other and journey together safely. The program is aimed at being delivered through 2-way learning, in a way that honours both Traditional Aboriginal and contemporary Western knowledge systems and achieved with support of collaborators from existing partnerships.
Since the forced removal of Woppaburra people from our homeland in 1902, and to this current day, there are no Traditional Custodians residing on our traditional homelands. Woppaburra people have 4 apical ancestors, with 6 family groups descending from them. Woppaburra people aspire to come back to our country. Many events were held for adults, however due to budgets and governmental regulations, it has only been in recent years that we have been able to develop a program to have our children on country.
After many years of competing priorities, hard work has paid off, and the Woppaburra TUMRA Aboriginal Corporation delivered its first youth rangers program named YILUM in September 2023. This was led by Meaghan Cummins and was the first youth ranger workshop; encouraging, educating and empowering the Gundoos (children) to engage in their cultural practices. This was a great success.
The YILUM 2024 program, conducted from the 23rd – 28th September 2024 at the Konomie Island Environmental Education Centre (KIEEC), was similarly successful with total of 12 Gundoos attended, ranging in age from 10 – 19 years.
The program provided the opportunity for Gundoos to connect with Country, themselves and others, through a range of activities and cultural learning. These activities honoured both Traditional Aboriginal and contemporary Western knowledge systems, achieved with the presence of Woppaburra elders who passed on story and taught cultural practices, alongside our valued partners sharing western science. It is hoped this will continue on an annual basis so that we can help foster stewardship of our new generations in the preservation and restoration of Woppaburra Cultural areas.
