This website page may contain images, voices and videos of deceased persons.
Our First Nations communities are proud of their culture , heritage and connection to Country.
Our key priorities include collaboration with First Nations people to educate and promote culture and heritage through storytelling, signage and events.
Our key actions include explore opportunities to learning from First Nations peoples about native foods, plants and caring for Country .
Acknowledgement of Country: In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this region and acknowledge their connections to the land, waters and community. The Alexandrina Council region intersects the traditional lands of the Ngarrindjeri Nation, Peramangk & Kaurna people. We pay our respect to their elders’ past, present and future and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Alexandrina Council intersects the lands of the Ngarrindjeri, Peramangk and Kuana Peoples.
A map of First Nations countries which attempts to represent nations groups can be found at The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies (AIATSIS)
See below Our First Nations Wellbeing Statement
See below Our Community Wellbeing Plan on a page - First Nations
Please refer to the Community Wellbeing Action Plan for more information.
What we heard
News
New Nunga Youth Group in Victor Harbor.
Every Friday during school term 3.00pm 5.00pm - Víctor Harbor Recreation Centre.
For more information ring Amy 0455 227 211.
Local First Nations
The Miwi-inyeri Pelepi-ambi Aboriginal Corporation (MIPAAC) was founded in 2012 by Phyllis Williams and Eileen McHughes to ‘keep Ngarrindjeri culture and language alive and strong’. and represent the Ngarrindjeri and local First Nations peoples. They have published a number of Ngarrindjeri Dictionaries. The Corporation is a source of expertise in Ngarrindjeri language and cultural advice in our local community. They can be contacted on mipa.abcorp@gmail.com.
Strathalbyn Aboriginal Action Reference Group (SAARG) The group is open for people to join who have an interest in First Nations culture and raising awareness and knowledge of First Nations in Strathalbyn and surrounds. The group is active in advancing community awareness of the skills and knowledge of the Strathalbyn First Nations people.
The group does not purport to be the voice of the Peramangk people who are the traditional custodians of the Strathalbyn region. The group is chaired by Aunty Freda Jaadawa Mills , a Gunditjamara and Narangga-Kokatha woman. The group meets regularly, and can be contacted through the Strathalbyn Neighborhood Centre 0431 337 044.
NAIDOC in Alexandrina 2023
Ratalang-Basham Beach
The Miwi-inyeri Pelepi-ambi Aboriginal Corporation (MIPAAC) celebrate NAIDOC on Country at Ratalang welcoming everyone from the community to participate. It is an opportunity for people to share, learn and connect with our First Nations people and their culture. Alexandrina Council provides funding for the event and support where requested. To request attendance at a MIPAAC board meeting email: mipa.abcorp@gmail.com with the purpose of your request.
Strathalbyn
The Eastern Fleurieu R-12 School hosted a NAIDOC event on the R-6 campus. Welcome to Country by Mandy Brown, Smoking ceremony by Kyle Booth and storytelling by David Booth. Alexandrina Council provides funding for the event and support where requested.
For further information please contact us on 8555 7000 or email alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au .
Dates of significance for First Nations Peoples
The following is a list of significant dates/months for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,.
13 February – National Apology
Annually, the 13 February marks the anniversary of the formal apology made in 2008 by the Government and the Parliament of Australia to Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - in particular to the Stolen Generations.
Read or hear the transcript of the National Apology.
19 March – National Close the Gap Day
National Close the Gap Day is an annual event held to raise awareness of the Aboriginal health crisis.
Learn why closing the gap is so important.
27 May – 1967 Referendum anniversary
In 1967 over 90 per cent of Australians voted in a Referendum to remove clauses from the Australian Constitution which discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The Referendum also gave the Commonwealth Government the power to make laws on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
27 May to 3 June - National Reconciliation Week
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
National Reconciliation Week dates remain the same each year: 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey — the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
3 June – Mabo Day
Mabo Day celebrates the High Court's historic judgement delivered on 3 June 1992, accepting the claim from Eddie Mabo and the other claimants that their people had occupied the island of Mer before the arrival of the British. This is a day of particular significance for Torres Strait Islander Australians.
3 to 10 July – NAIDOC Week
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
4 August – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day is a time to for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to celebrate the strengths and culture of their children. The day is an opportunity for all Australians to show their support for Aboriginal children, as well as learn about the crucial impact that community, culture and family play in the life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child.
9 August – International Day of the World's Indigenous People
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed annually to promote and protect the rights of the world’s Indigenous populations. This event also recognises the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.
It was first pronounced by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1994, marking the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, in 1982.
4 September – Indigenous Literacy Day
Indigenous Literacy Day aims to help raise funds to raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions. On Indigenous Literacy Day we need your support to help raise funds to buy books and literacy resources for children in these communities.
13 September – Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 61st session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007.
Useful Information and Resources
Ngarrindjeri Nation Yarluwar- Ruwe Plan- Caring for Ngarrindjeri Country and Culture
On October 2002, Alexandrina Council made an agreement with the Ngarrindjeri Nation. The agreement included a series of commitments to work together and offers a sincere expression of sorrow and apology to the Ngarrindjeri people. It is known as the Kungun Ngarrindjeri Yunnan (KNY) Agreement. The KNY Agreement was the first of this type of agreement between the Ngarrindjeri Nation and any level of Government.
October 2022 marked 20 years since Council signed the Kungun Ngarrindjeri Yunnan Agreement (KNY Agreement). This was signed by Council with Ngarrindjeri Tendi, Ngarrindjeri Native Title Committee and the Ngarrindjeri Heritage Committee meaning ‘listening to Ngarrindjeri Speaking’ (2002), the KNY Agreement was a significant milestone in Council’s relationship with its First Peoples. It brought together the peak Ngarrindjeri representative organisations that existed at that time, and amongst other things, gave them a right of consultation on matters that affected Ngarrindjeri people, land and waters.
In 2007 the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority (NRA) was established by the three representative organisations to represent their interests with government moving forward. Alexandrina Council met regularly with the NRA in line with the KNY Agreement. Fifteen years after the KNY Agreement, on 7 December 2017, Ngarrindjeri was awarded native title. The Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation was formed and recognised as the Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) and Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC) under state and federal law. As RNTBC, NAC manages the rights and interests for Ngarrindjeri native title or 'common law’ holders. This includes Ngarrindjeri people even if they are not NAC members or don’t live locally, making NAC highly representative of Ngarrindjeri people.
NAC is regulated by the Native Title Act, Prescribed Body Corporate Regulations and the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act, with regular meeting and reporting requirements. Under the Native Title Act, NAC must be Council's first point of contact about any matter related to native title land.
The KNY Agreement was a contract that created a requirement and process to engage with Ngarrindjeri where none had existed. Native title did the same, but in a much broader and more meaningful way and under legislation that cannot be contracted out of.
RNTBCs are by definition all the peak legal representatives for their language group or groups. RNTBCs act as a bridge for traditional owners to deal with the non-Indigenous legal system and are intended to ensure certainty for government and other parties by providing a legal entity through which they can conduct business with traditional owners.
The Voice Referendum - Be Ready for the Conversation
In late 2023, all eligible Australian citizens aged 18 years and over will vote on whether Australia should change its Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia by establishing a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
For all the latest information and to find the facts please visit Recognition through a Voice for all the latest information and access to Community toolkits and fact sheets.