Marnin Camp on Walmajarri Country

In May, we gathered with KALACC for a three-day Women’s Camp on Walmajarri Country at Old Cherrabun Station. Women and girls aged 12 to 80 came together in the spirit of learning, sharing, and being on Country. These days were grounded in healing through connection and the transfer of cultural knowledge between generations.

The activities were created not just on Country, but with Country. We used natural materials in a pit-fired ceramics workshop led by Tanya Lee. In the week before the camp, women gathered in the studio to shape ceramic vessels. These raw, unglazed pieces travelled with us to the camp, where they were transformed through an on-Country firing process.

Throughout the camp, participants collected banana peels to use as a natural dye, which served as an everyday example of working with organic matter in the creative process. We gathered grasses for spindling, prepared the fire pits, wrapped the ceramics, and placed them carefully inside. The pits burned slowly over the camp’s duration. The next morning, we unwrapped, rinsed, and polished each vessel, now embedded with the memory of shared time and designed with Country.

Each day closed by the Fitzroy River, where women fished and shared stories.

The Ngurrara Rangers and Elders led a cultural burning session, sharing knowledge about traditional fire practices and two-way learning.

The Marninwarntikura Legal Unit held a powerful session on domestic violence, where stories were shared with honesty and courage. These conversations were raw, emotional, and necessary.

June 1, 2025