Bridget Campbell, Macquarie University

Head Ranger Bobby Munurruŋ Wunuŋmurra with a Gaṯala (Eastern short-eared rock wallaby, Petrogral wilkinsi) in one of the Yirralka Rangers cage traps on a survey camp in Garrata

The ‘Warrakan-puy djäma’ project (‘animal-related work’) is a collaboration between the Yirralka Rangers and researchers from Macquarie University, the Australian National University and Charles Darwin University, aimed at developing a cross-cultural fauna strategy for the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), north east Arnhem Land. As part of this project, PhD student Bridget Campbell has been working with the Yolŋu Yirralka Rangers to codevelop new methods to better balance Western and Yolŋu priorities, values and knowledge in their fauna monitoring program. 

Together, with the Learning on Country programs and high school students from the local Gapuwiyak and Laynhapuy Homelands school, three week-long fauna survey camps were conducted across remote regions of the Laynhapuy IPA. These camps were built on a modified Northern Territory Government fauna survey method previously developed by our research team, and provided opportunities for Yolŋu to reconnect with remote regions of Country and culturally important warrakan (animals) that are rarely if ever seen by younger generations. Species occurrence data was collected from previously unsurveyed regions, and genetic tissue samples were collected to aid investigation of cryptic species. The camps also provided opportunities for intergenerational cultural knowledge transfer, and two-way knowledge and skill sharing. 

Bridget Campbell and the Yirralka Rangers were awarded the 2022 Bush Heritage Australia Right Way Science Award.

Team: Bridget Campbell1, Yirralka Rangers2, Emilie Ens1, Frances Morphy3, Craig Moritz4, Rachel Dudaniec1 

1 School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW; 2Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area, north east Arnhem Land, NT; 3Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University, ACT; 4 Research School of Biology, Australian National University, ACT. 

An interview with Djarrakpi wäŋa waṯaŋu (Traditional Owners), Nanikiya Marcus Mayumru, Muŋurru Gregory Maymuru, Yilpirr Waṉambi (waku-waṯaŋu) and Djarrpuy Sebastian Maymuru during a survey camp, by the Yirralka Rangers and Bridget Campbell

The ‘Warrakan-puy djäma’ project (‘animal-related work’) is a collaboration between the Yirralka Rangers and researchers from Macquarie University, the Australian National University and Charles Darwin University, aimed at developing a cross-cultural fauna strategy for the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), north east Arnhem Land. As part of this project, PhD student Bridget Campbell has been working with the Yolŋu Yirralka Rangers to codevelop new methods of balancing Western and Yolŋu priorities, values and knowledge in their fauna monitoring program. 

Adding to the modified Northern Territory Government fauna survey methods, semi-structured interviews with wäŋa waṯaŋu (Traditional Owners) and local ŋalapalmi  (knowledge holders, Elders) were conducted before and after the survey camps. During the pre-survey interviews, Yolŋu priorities and values around fauna were discussed and recorded. These interviews also helped to guide the selection of survey sites, detection of warrakan, Yolŋu cultural activities we could do during the camps (e.g. hunting, fishing, looking for gangurri (Long yams)), and to identify warrakan of concern. Wäŋa waṯaŋu and ŋalapalmi  were also invited to join the surveys and share their knowledge of Country with the students. 

Our new methods revealed that many Yolŋu hold detailed knowledge of warrakan (animal) trends, ecology and distribution, and hold concerns for certain species undergoing decline, and for the cultural knowledge and skill transmission relating to these species. A list of Yolŋu aspirations for warrakan management was made, alongside the different types of knowledge wäŋa waṯaŋu and ŋalapalmi want djamarrkuḻi (young people) to learn about warrakan, and how they recommend going about it. The camps received positive feedback as latju (great) opportunities for Yolŋu to reconnect with Country and warrakan, and for djamarrkuḻi to learn about Balanda (Western) science. The data from these interviews will be used to inform ongoing fauna monitoring and management in the Laynhapuy IPA, and importantly facilitate inclusion of Yolŋu priorities and support Yolŋu leadership. 

Bridget Campbell and the Yirralka Rangers were awarded the 2022 Bush Heritage Australia Right Way Science Award.

Team: Bridget Campbell1, Yirralka Rangers2, Emilie Ens1, Frances Morphy3, Craig Moritz4, Rachel Dudaniec1 

1 School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW; 2Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area, north east Arnhem Land, NT; 3Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University, ACT; 4 Research School of Biology, Australian National University, ACT. 

This piece has been extracted from an online gallery of images from Indigenous ecological practitioners around Australia. Images in this collection tell the stories of programs continuing, reviving and protecting the ecological practices and knowledge held by First Nations people for millennia – consult the full gallery here.