Cultural awareness includes understanding and the importance of protecting heritage
Understanding Country, culture, and the importance of protecting cultural heritage was the focus of a recent workshop delivered by Birriah Aboriginal Corporation Directors Carolyn Kemp and Eddie Savage for Landholders Driving Change panel members, community members, and NQ Dry Tropics staff in Collinsville.
The session gave participants valuable insight into Birriah history and culture, including the strong connection Birriah people have to waterways across their traditional lands, earning them the name “river people”.
Participants were also given an awareness about the shared language and cultural connections between the Birriah people and neighbouring groups within the Birri Gubba Nation, including Juru and Jangga peoples.
Carolyn and Eddie explained cultural heritage extended far beyond physical artefacts or scar trees, encompassing stories, customs, knowledge sharing, and the living connections people had to Country.
One of the key discussions centred around the ‘duty of care’ requirements under the Cultural Heritage Act.
Carolyn and Eddie stressed cultural heritage processes were not about preventing on-ground works from happening, but about making sure important cultural places, stories, and values were recognised and protected before work began.
They shared examples of significant cultural heritage that had already been lost and reinforced the importance of engaging with the correct Traditional Owners and cultural parties early in project planning to help avoid impacts and identify practical ways to manage and protect important areas.
Participants were also introduced to the recently developed Birriah Caring for Country Plan, which outlined the history, priorities, and future vision of the Birriah Aboriginal Corporation in caring for Country.
The plan was the result of two years of workshops, discussions, and on-Country activities supported by NQ Dry Tropics through funding from the Reef Assist Healing Country Project and the Landholders Driving Change Project, funded by the Queensland Government, and the Australian Government’s Regional Capacity Services program.
This event was delivered as part of the Healing Country 2.0 Reef Assist project and Landholders Driving Change (LDC2) project funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.
