Cultural burns to share ancient knowledge with new generation

Organisers say it's aimed at building community resilience using thousands of years of knowledge.

"Aboriginal people have been around for a long time," says Darrel Smith, CEO of Miyay Birray Youth Services. "They have knowledge about where flood water goes, and what happens when a fire comes through. That knowledge needs to be passed on to the services; it's not gathered at the moment."

In the aftermath of the devastating 2022 floods, organisations like Miyay Birray noticed a lot of Indigenous communities were getting left out of the response, with most assistance being directed at major centres like Lismore. Moree, Boggabilla and Collarenebri - areas with high Indigenous populations - can be easily isolated when flood or bushfire hits.

Something needed to be done to help Indigenous communities prepare for disasters in the future, using traditional knowledge systems to address ever-changing modern issues.

"When we looked at fire preparedness, one thing we noticed was that Aboriginal communities used to have fire risk taken care of by Cultural Burns. We wouldn't have this big build-up of fuel," Darrel Smith said.

Since colonisation, many traditional custodians have been unable to practice cultural burning openly.

Organisers said this has had a devastating impact on environments and communities, with large fuel loads and increasing risk of catastrophic fires.

Organisers also said Western burnoffs are often too hot and can be in the wrong place to create the desired impact in bushfire season.

To address this issue, Miyay Birray Youth Services has sought the expertise of Indigenous not-for-profit Firesticks and one of their lead fire practitioners to conduct the first community-led Cultural Burn in the communities of Moree, Boggabilla, and Collarenebri on Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24.

Cultural Burns will be led by Firesticks in each community in partnership with the relevant Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALC), empowering families, young people and Elders with cultural and practical fire knowledge to support community resilience.

"I'm passionate and enthusiastic about facilitating these community burns as they present an opportunity to revitalise Cultural Fire on Gomeroi Country with Gomeroi people," Firesticks lead fire practitioner Peter Townsend said.

Mr Townsend is a Wiradjuri, Wayilwan and Gomeroi man.

"This is just a starting point," Darrel Smith said. "Once we get the interest from the community we can do a proper mentoring program. Participating in one Cultural Burn doesn't make you an expert, but it can light that fire of interest."

The Cultural Burns in Moree, Boggabilla and Collarenebri will benefit the entire community by reducing fuel loads and creating safer landscapes more resistant to bushfire threats. The Cultural Burns will also help regenerate the growth of native vegetation, foods and grains that many community members want to harvest.

"This is a great partnership program that gets everyone focused on the Aboriginal community so we won't get forgotten about," Mr Smith said.