84. Regenerative Songlines: Film, First Law & the Martuwarra Fitzroy River, with Dr Anne Poelina

This episode departs from the usual schedule, as there’s a particularly pressing aspect to this one.

Dr Anne Poelina is a Nyikina Warrwa (Indigenous Australian) woman who belongs to the Mardoowarra, the lower Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. She is also Chair of the esteemed Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council. When Anne and I last spoke for the podcast, in Broome a few years ago, I said this:

“If anywhere epitomizes the critical time we’re in, it’s in the spectacular cultural and natural landscapes of her homeland. Almost incredibly, there are 40,000+ fracking wells slated for this area, along with the damming of the Fitzroy River, and more ‘old-model’ industrial agriculture. Yet the next economy is also in tow here, and this is where Anne is currently focusing her extraordinary breadth of cross-cultural knowledge and experience.”

Three years on and a power of work has been done. This includes the forming of Regenerative Songlines Australia. And while that ‘old industrial model’ lurks in the Kimberley, a profound new film screened last week called The Serpent’s Tale. It documents the creation of Martuwarra, the National Heritage listed Fitzroy River. And its launch draws attention to an important state government submission process on now, while invoking deeper connection with the River and Country generally.

This episode was recorded on 20 May and released on 24 May 2021, the anniversary of the exploding of the Juukan Gorge last year, which destroyed a 46,000-year heritage site. A reminder that the stakes couldn’t be higher, in terms of staving off disaster, but also ushering in the emerging new story of connection and regeneration.

For those less familiar with Anne, she is also an international award winner, Managing Director of Madjulla Incorporated, a qualified nurse, traditional midwife, has multiple postgraduate degrees, and over 30 years’ experience in Indigenous health, education, language and community development.

Title slide: Dr Anne Poelina (supplied).

You’ll find a selection of photographs from Anne on the episode web page too.

Music:
River Feeling, at the start of the episode, and Liyan, at the end, both by Anne’s son Mark Coles-Smith, composing as Kalaji (joined in Liyan by Ursula Yovich).

Find more:
Dr Anne Poelina

The Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council

Trailer for the film, The Serpent’s Tale 

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