Adnyamathanha Decision

On Tuesday , the Federal Court of Australia handed down a decision on a lands title claim for the Adnyamathanha people in the affirmative. It's for traditional land measuring 46,000 sq. kilometres,



representing by far the biggest successful lands title claim by an indigenous people in South Australian history, encapsulating all of the Flinders Ranges and The Gammon Ranges.




I love this image below of the bench and presiding judge with all its institutional flavour and the justaposition with nature and the ochre ground.



Our friend has been working as legal counsel on this case for 7 years and is, according to him, his most rewarding legal outcome to date. He travelled to Adnyamathanha with his wife and buddy this week (who kindly shared the photos with me) to be present for the handing down of this historical decision and the handing over of native title.


I didnt see any press on it.

January 26, 'Straya Doi

Prof. Mick Dodson, Aboriginal leader and academic was named last night as the 2009 Australian of the Year for his lifetime commitment to improving the lives of Aboriginal people. He has called for a "national conversation" about changing the date of Australia Day (January 26), which commemorates the landing of the first fleet at Sydney cove in 1788. "

To most indigenous Australians it (Australia Day) really reflects the day on which our world came crashing down. Many of our people call it invasion day."

So we had that 'national' conversation at the lunch table with the kids, about the meaning of 'Straya Doi', why its a holiday and what it could mean. 'Straya Doi is a public holiday and despite, inspite, of the politics around it, it calls for a BBQ lunch. The kids decided that The Apology was just the beginning.


The kids made foccaccia using a Jamie Oliver recipe and topping one with rock salt and rosemary from the garden and the other topped with the last of the rocket pesto made ...umm...a while back, and thinned with more olive oil.





and i made beetroot and horseradish relish to have with our 'snags' (sausages), made from a mix of chioggia and bulls blood beetroot and horseradish root from the garden.








The 'snags' were biodynamic beauties of fennel, chilli and pork (a veggie patty only for B2 as B1 declared an incredible craving for 'snags') and she did the fry up.



followed up with blackberries picked on the side of the road this morning on our walk with the beanboy and local honey ice cream .


The kids decided that invasion day was probably the most fitting descriptor of the day in 1788. Pretty hard to argue with that. Oh, and its nice to see that with a change of national government comes a commesurate change in the calibre of Australian of the Year nominees. Not A Cricketer.