Keeping Culture Alive – GACS Rangers and Telstra connecting up

4 minute read

Last fortnight at Morapoi Station on Wangkatha Country in the Goldfields of Western Australia, Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers from Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services (GACS) guided Telstra staff through a profound five-day experience of connection to Country, culture, history and story.

With desert country sometimes overlooked in Australia, rangers know that sharing knowledge of country with their Elders and showing what rangers do is a great way to advocate for the desert.

"Looking after country, teaching our community, school kids and keeping our traditions is what we do as rangers. This exchange with Telstra is another way we can share knowledge of Country and show what rangers do best."

Priscilla Reynolds, GACS Ranger Coordinator

From the start of the week, GACS rangers brought Telstra staff slowly into the cultural story of Country. The GACS team shared knowledge of Country and guided the Telstra group through a variety of fun and informative activities including tracking and monitoring Malleefowl, gathering and preparing bush food and medicines, visiting cultural and historical sites, and yarning around the campfire with Elders.

Clockwise from left: Digging for gold – honey ants with Marjorie Stubbs ; GACS Ranger Travis Jones demonstrating how to cook marlu (kangaroo) tail on the coals; the group visiting an active Malleefowl mound that GACS monitor.

Maku dancers perform around the campfire.

GACS Ranger Caitlin Thomas showing the Karlkurla (silky pear) from where the town of Kalgoorlie derived its name.

The IDA facilitated the process of exchange and connection, which involved GACS rangers and Telstra staff working together on recording video stories to the theme Keeping Culture Alive. The media component of the exchange also enabled GACS rangers to build on their storytelling and practical filmmaking skills, so they can continue to tell their own stories of Wangkatha Country.

"We take care of our Country. That's something I've learned as a little girl and how important it is to learn from our Elders and continue our Traditions on. It's been really good to share some of this knowledge with the Telstra group, it's all part of keeping culture alive."

Caitlin Thomas, GACS Ranger

This immersive experience helped bring out the best of everyone involved and was a genuine act towards reconciliation and respect for First Nations leadership and ways of working. Everyone went home feeling connected, with stories to share and new friendships formed. GACS, Telstra and the IDA wish to thank Morapoi station, Greg Stubbs and his family for their hospitality and support throughout the week.

“This on-country exchange program builds on the Telstra Foundation’s digital training work with Indigenous Rangers. It’s a two way learning program - Telstra people work side by side with rangers - looking, listening and learning, and together create digital stories to showcase the important caring for country work that rangers do.”

Lauren Ganley, Head of Telstra’s First Nations Strategy & Engagement

Bush telephone at Morapoi Station

Last group photo at the Morapoi Station sign before everyone parted ways.

“Helping to raise the voices of desert rangers and connecting Telstra staff to the inspiring work of GACS is a great privilege. Thank you to all the partners involved and we look forward to working with you on the next exchange.”

Hamish Morgan, Indigenous Desert Alliance

GACS Rangers and father & son Clem and Clinton sharing knowledge about animal tracks

Goldfields Aboriginal Community Services

The Aboriginal people of the Goldfields region have been looking after and managing their traditional country for over 60,000 years. GACS has developed a ranger program over the last ten years, drawing on this accumulated wealth of knowledge and experience and applying it in a context that provides an opportunity for employment on country for the local Aboriginal community.

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