More than 150 children and young people with a care experience participated in a Narungga Cultural Connection Day at Point Pearce on the Yorke Peninsula on Tuesday 15 April.

The Department for Child Protection held the event in partnership with the Point Pearce Aboriginal Council and the Point Pearce Aboriginal Corporation.

Narungga (traditionally spelled Nharangga) people have always lived on Yorke Peninsula. Narungga Nation is made up of four groups, the Kurnara in the north of the peninsula, Windera in the east, Wari in the west and Dilpa in the south.

A Welcome to Country was performed by Lynahra Newchurch and a smoking ceremony undertaken by Uncle Ian Harradine.

Children and young people from across the Yorke Peninsula, and as far away as Adelaide’s northern suburbs, attended.

They were joined by Port Adelaide AFLW stars Gemma Houghton and Shineah Goody, who hails from Edithburgh and Aboriginal Program Officer Ebony Noack.

Life Without Barriers, Martinthi, Key Assets and Uniting Country SA provided crafts and activities such as finger puppets, boomerangs, beaded bracelets and gum leaf art.

Minister for Child Protection Katrine Hildyard celebrated the event and articulated how important maintaining cultural connection is for Aboriginal children and young people.

“We know that children and young people being connected, loved, nurtured and safe within their family and community gives them the best foundation to thrive and succeed.”

“This special event on Narungga Country provided powerful opportunities for Aboriginal children and young people in contact with the child protection and family support system to connect with culture, Country and community, which is vital for their sense of belonging and wellbeing.”

“I am deeply grateful to the Narungga community, Elders, partner organisations and Port Adelaide FC players for their leadership and generosity in sharing culture and knowledge and for empowering children and young people to feel proud of who they are.”

Department for Child Protection Executive Director, Aboriginal Policy and Services Jackie Ah Kit said the event was a wonderful opportunity for children and young people to spend some time on Country.

“We are committed to providing opportunities for Aboriginal children and young people to connect to Culture,” she said.

“Cultural connection days like this align with the Aboriginal Child Placement Principles and aim to strengthen the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal children in care, by maintaining their connections to their language/nation group and with their peers and community”.

For one young person, attending from Adelaide, the day was ‘amazing’.

“I liked that we were able to celebrate Aboriginal culture in a really special way, and connect through artwork,” she said.

Another described the day as ‘fun’.

“I’m used to the area, it’s where my poppy is from and it’s nice to come back and have fun. I loved the food, the ice blocks and that dogs were allowed to come and be a part of it.”

Point Pearce Aboriginal Council Chairperson Uncle Eddie Newchurch said the connections and memories created at the event will stay with those attending for the rest of their life.

“As young people get older, they tend to think about where they came from even more and having that connection informs the path they take,” he said.

Point Pearce Aboriginal Corporation General Manager Paul Heck said the young attendees were completely immersed in the event.

“It was just such a positive feeling, so many smiling faces and so much laughter,” he said.

Mr Heck thanked the many stakeholders who made the logistics of the event possible, including the Nharrangga Aboriginal Progress Association, the Yorke Peninsula Council, SA Water, the Indigenous Protected Area Ranger Program and Narungga Nations Aboriginal Corporation Chief Executive Doug Milera.

Also attending the event was Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Chief Executive Klynton Wanganeen, who is also a Narungga man and former Point Pearce resident.