Everyone can show care

‘Nurna pmara nurnakanha ntarntarama’. (‘We care for our home country’. – Western Arrarnta language)

I am a member of the Tjuwanpa Women’s Rangers, based in the Hermannsburg area of the Northern Territory. We do water monitoring to see if it is healthy to drink and to swim in. This happens every month.We do prescribed burning around Hermannsburg as a firebreak, and around waterholes to keep them healthy.

Some introduced plants are taking over, such as couch grass, buffel grass and Mexican poppy. And some animals, including feral cats, horses and camels, are pushing out native species. We are concerned about our bush tucker. Yalka (bush onion), pmurlpa (quondong) and others are hard to find now. Caring for our country is important, and everyone can take a part.

Tjuwanpa Women’s Ranger Sonya Braybon spoke with Hermannsburg Lutheran Church secretary David Roennfeldt to share this story.

This feature story comes from The Lutheran May 2016. Visit the website to find out more about The Lutheran or to subscribe.