Community
7 April, 2023
Cultural burning to heighten safety
TRADITIONAL Owners in the south west are being supported to conduct cultural burning on Country as part of ongoing work towards Aboriginal self-determination.
Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation will each receive a grant as part of the Cultural Fire Grants.
State-wide, 10 projects will be funded by the $6.3 million program, assisting Traditional Owners to conduct cultural burns across the Victorian landscape.
The grant program supports Aboriginal Victorians to care for Country, investing in projects that promote self-determination through land management and enhance cultural and environmental values on Country.
Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation general manager cultural landscapes John Clarke said the push to reinvigorate cultural burning practices would have far-reaching benefits for the state.
“Eastern Maar has identified prime Warrian (bandicoot) habitat as our focus for returning fire to the landscape,” he said.
“The return of Maar Biocultural objectives into landscape management will have benefits for all Victorians as we return to the conservation model influenced by and developed for the local landscape.”
Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation executive manager programs Jane Walker said it was exciting to “continue restoring weeyn yakeen (fire dreaming) back in to the landscape”.
“This project is about enabling Gunditjmara Traditional Owners to heal Country and fulfil their rights and obligations to care for Country through weeyn,” she said.
“The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is an incredibly special and unique place. “By working with community to build skills and knowledge in weeyn yakeen, we are supporting Gunditjmara obligations for looking after Country.”
DEECA is investing $22.5 million over four years to reinvigorate Traditional Owner-led cultural land and fire management practices as part of the broader Reducing Bushfire Risk funding.
The program contributes to achieving the vision of the Victorian Traditional Owner Cultural Fire Strategy and supports existing partnerships between Traditional Owners and state agencies.
Cultural fire is used by Traditional Owners to heal Country and fulfil their rights and obligations to care for Country.
Before colonisation, cultural burning was used for a wide range of purposes, including protecting Country, providing habitat for wildlife and the harvesting of resources.
For more information, visit www.environment.vic.gov.au/grants/cultural-fire-grants.
