Bemkanin
The Traditional Owner's Vision for the Future of Wadeye
Wadeye, also known as Port Keats, is in the Northern Territory, 270km south-west of Darwin.
The Wadeye region has been home to Indigenous peoples for more than 40,000 years. The Aboriginal people of the region are primarily the Murrinh Patha. Other nearby languages are Marritjevin, Marri Amu, Marri Ngarr, Magati-ge, and Menhthe. Each group has maintained a deep connection to the land and their cultural traditions.
Today, there are approximately 20 clan groups living in the region. Culturally, the Kardu Diminin clan have ownership rights at Wadeye, and the other clans living in the township respect these rights. A population survey conducted by the community in 2019 suggested that approximately 2500 people live in Wadeye.
There are a number of ceremonies that are important
to the community and take place across the year. There
are male and female ceremonial grounds within the
Wadeye townsite, and these must be respected by
everyone within the community.
What was the issue?
The Kardu Diminin Corporation (KDC) initiated this project to develop a community-led vision for Wadeye. KDC are optimistic about the future of Wadeye, and their wish was that the vision would outline this hope and ambition centred on the community’s thoughts and opinions.
Ultimately, KDC aspires for Wadeye to become an attractive town that provides better living and social conditions, culturally appropriate land uses and economic improvements for all, now and into the future. They also hope that a comprehensive visioning document would support their aspiration to transition to a Township Lease model of land tenure.
We need to do something for this country. We need to work together, get everyone together and work together. Stephen Bunduck
What did we do?
TFA supported the Traditional Owners to develop the vision and town plan. We shared our technical knowledge, which enabled the community to make informed decisions, and facilitated all consultations. The process involved many trips to Wadeye and in-depth conversations over six months.
The Vision was developed through a collaborative process centred on the Traditional Owners and other clans residing in Wadeye. The Vision also incorporated the voices of key stakeholders operating within the community, such as government and service providers.
The challenge to imagine a baseline that many Australians take for granted can sometimes limit the future vision of participants, with the overwhelming reality of current issues taking centre stage. Housing was constantly identified as deficient, with crowding, poor health hardware, or unsuitable siting regularly raised by participants.
The community demonstrated their willingness and capacity to imagine a better future and to convey over many conversations, the type of environment they want to create for future generations. The report describes potential changes in land use, areas of development, changes in accessibility and enhancements to public and communal spaces throughout the township. Importantly, the Traditional Owners and other community members extensively discussed and agreed to these moves.
What was the impact?
KDC expect that anyone, including government and service agencies, will use this report to frame their work in Wadeye and to ensure that their actions align with the wishes of Traditional Owners.
The Vision does not offer a definitive or exhaustive list of planning requirements. Instead, it opens a dialogue about the future of Wadeye and provides a framework for the key moves that will redefine the town going forward.
