We here in Adelaide are starting a womens' support group for the Kupa
Piti Kungka Tjuta Senior Aboriginal Women. There's already one in
Melbourne which holds information stalls, sells bush medicines and
jewellery made by the Kungka Tjuta Women, puts on fundraising events and
is helping to organise the gathering in September (details below).
If you're interested, the first meeting will be on Wednesday 20th August
@ 6 pm upstairs at the Fleet Street Cafe, 162-170 Pulteney Street in the
city.
If you can't come to the first meeting but are intested in being
involved in the new Adelaide Kunkgas feel free to email Fiona @
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or Robyn @ [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Details about the Iranti Wanti campaign are on their website @
www.iratiwanti.org
The Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta are a group of Senior Indigenous Women based
in Cooper Pedy who have long spoken out against Roxby Downs and the
radioactive waste dump. Their active opposition against uranium issues
is informed by personal experiences of surviving the 1950s Maralinga
atomic tests and living with the legacy of the radioactive fall out.
The Kunkga Tjuta Women received some public recognition for their
campaign against the proposed waste dump when they were presented with
the 2003 Goldman Environmental Prize in April this year.
The Kungka Tjuta Women are inviting all people to attend a gathering on
their land so that we can hear their stories, experience their country
and learn ways of helping them protect it. It's at the end of September
and there's a copy of their invitation below.
The time to get further involved in Irati Wanti is now. The Federal
Government recently used its land aquisition powers to take control over
the waste dump site and is now talking construction of the waste dump
within a year!
Also the 50th anniversary of the first and devastating nuclear tests on
mainland Australia is coming up in October. It would be good to
generate widespread acknowledgment of this anniversary, highlight its
legacy and show the connections with the present.
See you Wednesday evening. cheers, Fiona and Robyn
KULINI KULINI
`Are you listening?'
10 Mile Creek Bush Camp
Coober Pedy, South Australia
Sept 29th – Oct 1st 2003
INVITATION TO ALL FROM THE KUPA PITI KUNGKA TJUTA
Senior Aboriginal Women of Coober Pedy, SA.
Kungka Tjuta, Wati Tjuta, Tjitji Tjuta, tjukur kulila nyinakatinyi. –
Many women, many men, many kids, sit down all together and listen to the
story. Wangka irati, wangka Maralinga – talk about the poison, talk
about Maralinga.
We are going to have a big camp, meeting here at 10 Mile Creek Bush
Camp. Come to the meeting and help us. We are going to speak about the
waste dump – the poison.
Come to Coober Pedy. The poison is going to come back, like
Maralinga, just sneak in. They are going to do the same thing here and
not let anybody know. They are going to sneak in. The
Government has to listen to us.
We are going to stand up and fight - strong.
And you fellas have got to help us.
Kulini Kulini, they gotta listen that Government mob.
Kulini Kulini, we're tired. Come and help us.
Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta
Background Brief
"All of us were living with the Government used the Country for the Bomb …
Everybody got sick." 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of the first
nuclear bomb detonated at Emu Fields by the British Government. Totem 1,
tested on October 15th 1953 only 280km north of Coober Pedy, produced a
dense radioactive cloud that travelled far beyond the `testing range'.
Members of the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta and their families are survivors
of this testing program and the nuclear legacy is becoming increasing
evident in every new generation.
Fifty years later the Federal Government is pushing ahead with their
plan to establish a national radioactive waste dump in South Australia's
far north.
Same country. Same people. Same poison. Enough is Enough. This cycle
must end now.
Come and support the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta in their courageous
struggle. This is an invitation for all.
--
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