“Nhaltjan limurr dhu, nhaltjan limurr dhu manymakkum dhuwal nhawin, dhawatmaram… rrupiya walal ga gurrupan, nhawuku nhaltjan ŋali dhu djämamirriyam rrupiya dhiyal communityŋur… Pathway yolŋuw, yolŋunha ŋayi dhu employing the peoplenha to work balanyaŋur malaŋur ŋunhi ŋunhi activities djäma yuwalknha… Balanyakurru mala ŋunhi dhu ŋayi yothu, nhawi yolŋu, even ŋula nhämunha’mirri dhuŋgarramirri balanyakurru bala ŋayi dhu marŋgithi…”
“What is a better way for us to come together and talk about this funding? …they are giving money, how do we develop this money, put it to work in the community here? A pathway for Yolŋu, employing Yolŋu people to work on all those different sorts of genuine activities… Those are the pathways through which young people, all Yolŋu however many years old, that is the way through which they will learn.”
Rosemary Gundjarraŋbuy is referring to an issue that was discussed at the previous day’s L.A. meeting. L.A. members at the meeting had discussed funding that the L.A. had to spend on a facility such as a BMX track or swimming pool. Rosemary is suggesting that good engagement is not about asking L.A. members if they want a BMX track or a pool. Rather it involves seeing decisions about expenditure as a means for opening up promising pathways for Yolŋu through building community and jobs.
