Fed: Surf club in focus as Garma cultural festival begin

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2009
Fed: Surf club in focus as Garma cultural festival begin

By Vincent Morello

EAST ARNHEM LAND, NT, Aug 7 AAP - Australia's first indigenous surf lifesaving club
has only just been launched but it has already saved four people from the waters of east
Arnhem Land and set an inspiring example in the process.

More than 200 locals and interstate and overseas visitors gathered on Friday afternoon
at Shady Beach - a stunning section of coast beside the Aboriginal community of Yirrkala
on the Gove peninsula - for the official launch of the Walngawu Djakamirri surf lifesaving
club.

The launch coincided with the opening day of the annual Garma Festival of Traditional
Culture, a five-day event held at a nearby sacred site to celebrate the traditional culture
of the Yolngu people.

Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin is scheduled to speak at Garma on
Saturday but was on hand to congratulate the Yirrkala community and those who had made
the club a reality since 2007.

"Some of you might know that surfing is actually my number one passion," Ms Macklin
told the gathering.

"I don't get to do much of it and unfortunately I don't get to come to too many openings
of surf lifesaving clubs."

She said the community would benefit from the club in many ways.

"I know that you'll be fitter, stronger, healthier and you'll have a heck of a lot
of fun as a result of this surf lifesaving club."

Surf Lifesaving Northern Territory chief executive Tony Snelling said the club had
carried out four rescues in the 18 months since the program was created.

"One of the unfortunate realities is that indigenous people, particularly youth, are
over-represented in the drowning and the aquatic-injury statistics," Mr Snelling said.

"There is also a very sad reality that every year in Australia people drown trying
to rescue somebody else."

NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson was also at Shady Beach, where he announced that the
club, which operates out of a shipping container just up from the beach, would receive
an additional $25,000 in funding.

The club has 80 members aged 13 and older and expects to launch its nippers program
in late August.

"At the end of the day, it's all about community, it's all about children, it's all
about families - it's all about healthy activities and healthy lifestyles and keeping
our kids safe in the seas," Mr Henderson said.

The lifesaving association's president, Bob Creek, said the club was leading the way.

"I believe it to be a model for other coastal communities," he said.

"All those things we just spoke about ... and what's happening here very well could
be an opportunity for other coastal communities."

Garma, which will run until Tuesday, includes cultural, artistic and youth events.

Its main forum will allow indigenous leaders, academics and politicians to discuss
issues affecting Aboriginal communities.

Ms Macklin will speak on Saturday, when she is likely to face more criticism over the
joint commonwealth and NT government community housing policy.

Not one house has been completed under the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure
Program launched 15 months ago.

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett and federal Indigenous Health Minister Warren
Snowdon will also speak at Garma on Saturday.

AAP vpm/hn/jhp

KEYWORD: GARMA (PIX AVAILABLE)

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