Aboriginal Cultural Birthing and Parenting NSW
Living Strong, Living Healthy, Living Culture
This is an open letter to our supporters. We have been invited to send guest speakers to Arnhem land for the Key Forum at the Garma festival in the
Northern Territory. (Our topic: The importance of traditional midwifery.) We are writing to you to ask for your support with fundraising for travel costs
and expenses from central NSW to Gove and back.
Information about the Garma festival can be viewed at
http://www.garma.telstra.com. Speaking at Garma is a significant step for our organisation as we are currently completing funding proposals for our
first state-wide women’s business camp. Addressing Garma will give us access to potential investors to help fund our camp.
Given the recent situation in Northern Territory with regards to changes being enforced by the Federal government upon our people due to domestic and
sexual violence that some children suffer we think it is timely that we be able to share with the people of the Territory what we are doing in our organisation. We need to strengthen our group in order that Aboriginal
women and their families have the primary say in the destiny of their babies and children rather than decisions being enforced upon us by governments or authorities in pursuit of political gain.
Aboriginal Cultural Birthing and Parenting NSW is where we provide our example of strength and leadership to our children. We want to raise our children in a safe environment free of violence perpetrated by family upon
family but also free of violence perpetrated against our people by the government or other authorities/individuals. Our definition of safety
includes real access to health standards for our children, that they not suffer the diseases of poverty and lack of health care any longer. Our definition of safety for our children includes that they are raised with a
strong understanding and knowledge of their culture and that they are able to live their cultural beliefs and practices daily.
There are minimal if any birthing and parenting programs and support groups designed and run by Aboriginal people for our people. Most of our people are referred to mainstream parenting and birthing programs that do not
acknowledge our Aboriginal history or issues. Perhaps by sharing our ideas with other states our group may one day develop into a national network for us to stand up strong for our children.
For further information with regard to the situation in the Northern Territory please see attached article by Jennifer Martiniello.
For our trip to Garma, we are required to fundraise $1500 for one adult flight from Orange to Gove return as the Yothu Yindi foundation has already donated flights for one adult and one child. The guest speakers will be
two Wiradjuri women from our group, mother Fleur Magick and grandmother Diane Riley-McNaboe. Ideally we would also need a small amount of additional
money for related travel expenses.
We are conducting a raffle and also accepting private donations. We are currently awaiting our approval as a non-profit incorporated association with charitable status and so receipts will soon be available for tax deductions with regards to your donations.
For the raffle: tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25.
First prize: original Aboriginal artwork by Wiradjuri artist Lewis
Burns.
Second prize: original Aboriginal artwork from Tiwi islands.
Certificate
of authenticity signed by the artist.
Third and Fourth prizes: Indigenous Aromatherapy packs containing 5
indigenous Aromatherapy healing products handmade by Ngurambang
Australian
Aboriginal Bush Healing. Fifth to Tenth prizes: prints of artwork and
spiritual story “Koori Dreaming” signed by the artist.
Raffle will be drawn 30st September 2007.
For private donations:
Money can be deposited into Fleur Magicks’ bank account:
Fleur Magick
St George Bank
BSB 112879
Acc 066893850
Or a cheque made out to Fleur Magick and posted to 171 Springhill Road,
Springhill NSW 2800
Thankyou so much for your assistance. Any enquiries please phone Fleur
Magick (Public Officer of Aboriginal Cultural Birthing and Parenting
NSW) on
0400409102 or email: indyamarra@hotmail.com__________________
student midwife, earth-centred, seeking to love and heal.
