Permacultura en el Mundo
Permaculture at Wadeye – an Aboriginal Community in the Northern Territory, Australia
Aid Projects, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centres, Village Development— by Craig Gallagher October 19, 2012
Wadeye is the Northern Territory’s largest aboriginal community. Having been here just over a year now I can say I have become quite acquainted with many of the indigenous locals and I will be quite sad when I soon leave. However, to paint a brief picture of reasonable accuracy, the town itself is the result of yet another white man horror story created on behalf of English royalty.
Twenty different clans (who feuded from time to time) were not meant to be bought together to live in one community, so there is much violence amongst them — every night of late — and it’s the reason I am awake at 2:13am writing this.
But the feel-good story I want to share is to do with the high point I depart on — and that is being awarded (through the local Women’s Centre) a contract to install a permaculture design on a 4-acre new development that was originally going to receive not much more than a bit of grass seed.
With the contract secure and the design completed, I ran a little Facebook update looking for some help, and though having received many applications I formed a crew of people I had already worked with when I was at the PRI’s Zaytuna Farm: Dave Spicer, Daniel Lawton and Jay Kimber. Jay’s partner Daniel Bovalino turned out to be a bobcat driver and blog creator (http://permaculturewadeye.tumblr.com). Daniel Sheridan managed to come for a week and Evan Young and Anji ‘Foo’ will be here tomorrow morning for the final charge. We have also employed some local indigenous boys and are teaching them as much as we can along the way.
The project itself is a boarding facility for indigenous kids from outlying stations that can’t get to school and it’s funded by the federal government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Getting permaculture across the governmental line was not easy but I had some persistent help from a lovely lady by the name of Maria Moulten. I get the impression that ‘Greening the Desert‘ played a pretty important part as well so thanks for that Geoff.
We have our work cut out to be complete on time but I hand-picked these people for a reason; they are all exceptionally good at what they do and they get the job done! I hope my exercising the ethics I believe permaculture is based on will bring a return for these fine people by helping to supply their needs.
Check out the blog, as it’s updated daily: http://permaculturewadeye.tumblr.com.
Acknowledgments:
My crew including Joseph Perdget, Neil Melpi and Harold.
Margo and Jo (Palngun Wurnungat Assn)
Maria Moulton
Geoff Lawton
Jobfind Wadeye – Christine Holding
Wadeye Garden Club
Wadeye Police for donating mulch
ESCUELAS DE PERMACULTURA TRATA DE ADQUIRIR SUELO Y REFORESTARLO. FORMAMOS PERSONAS INDEPENDIENTES Y AUTOSUFICIENTES. DESARROLLAMOS CON ELLAS PERMASISTEMAS QUE DEMUESTREN CON HECHOS LA EFECTIVIDAD DE ÉSTAS TÉCNICAS. COLABORA PROTEGIÉNDO SUELO Y/O DIFUNDIÉNDO EL PROYECTO. http://uneuroesigualaunmetrocuadrado.blogspot.com/