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The Great Walk
Wiluna to Leonora
Glen Cook
9/6/2011
Glen Cook a Traditional Owner living in Wiluna speaks up about uranium mining in WA from the ongoing peace walk the “Walk Away From Uranium Mining Towards Aboriginal Sovereignty”. (http://nuclearfreefuture.com)
Organized by Marcus Atkinson, KA Garlick, Phoebe Coyne, Bilbo Taylor and Mia Pepper the walk started 18 August 2011 with 55 people of various backgrounds and ages taking the two day bus ride from Perth to Wiluna, Western Australia.
Nuclear disarmament campaigners flew in from all over Australia, France, the US, New Zealand, Germany, Greece, and Italy to take part in this historic journey.
This 10 week walk will travel 1,250 kilometers by foot from Wiluna to Perth urging the public to reinstate the ban on uranium mining in Western Australia and stop company Toro Energy from building a uranium mine in Wiluna (The Lake Way project*). The walk will end October 28th and be one of many groups taking part in the CHOGM protest.
“My name is Wangan Nga.
I am a Ngaanyatjarra.
My home is in Wiluna. I am walking on foot with white people and lots of Aboriginal people. We are
walking towards Leonora away from uranium.
Wiluna is a good country now, but if you dig up the land the smell of death will kill the people. All the
kangaroo and other native animals that we rely on for meat will die.
The sacredness of the land will die. Everything will come to nothing.
And what lives we won’t be able to eat.
For that reason I’m coming on this walk from Wiluna heading towards Leonora.
I will keep going to Kalgoorlie. And from Kalgoorlie to get in to Perth.
I am walking to save this land. Our forefathers taught us from generation to generation how to care for the
land.
All the people were living good with the Dreaming.
They listened to the spirit of our ancestors land, and they were good and healthy caring for the land and it kept our land good.
Our ancestors Dreaming still keeps the land good.
Today I am moved by the spirit to do something about all of this because the old people have told us to
keep looking after the land.
The white people have told us about their plan to set up many mines.
I am going to tell them they are not allowed to touch the earth because the old people have told us to
leave it in the ground.
They must not mine this poisonous yellow sand.
If they do they will leave a very big hole and something horrible will come up from the earth, the same as
Maralinga.
All the poor people who were exposed to that poison from Maralinga they went blind and died.
We will have big sickness like the white people caused them Anangu mob.
We have to leave this uranium in the ground.
We must listen and take heed.
We don’t want any of our mob to suffer like that - deformities, twisted necks and short arms. Cancer.
We’ve got to leave that uranium sleeping in the ground.
Don’t dig it up. Stop digging it up.
It is really serious poison.
That’s the truth - listen to me.
Listen for your family. For your children, grandchildren, and all your descendents sake.
We are good now, I’m talking strong.
We hold on to our Dreaming truth inside.
Our brothers, cousins, and grandparents have to hold on to it.
All of our family has to hold onto it.”
Translated by Kado Muir and Sandra Evans
Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U5JIi61kFQk
*The Wiluna Project
http://ccwa.org.au/campaigns/nuclearfreewa
Directed and Produced by
Kado & Deeva Muir
@MartnaMedia
“Marnta Media shares knowledge of Aboriginal culture to increase awareness and understanding of Aboriginal culture among all Australians.”
[http://www.aboriginalawareness.com.au/Aboriginal Awareness/homepage.html]
Edited by
Vanessa Lynch
@Balkanized
http://peacewalks.tumblr.com
Walk Organizers:
Marcus & KA Atkinson
@Footprint4peace
http://footprintsforpeace.org
Bilbo Taylor
Mia Pepper
http://ccwa.org.au/blogs/miapepper
&
Phoebe Coyne
