Woman Cry – Protect Our Land, Our Water and Our Future

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Woman Cry - Our Land, Our Water, Our Future13th March 2014

By Andy Whiteley

Co-Founder of Wake Up World

In an unprecedented event on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia, outraged community members camped in protest at the controversial Calga sandmining site are calling on all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians to join together to help save this unique Aboriginal sacred women’s site, and the important waterways,  aquifiers and hanging swamps that surround it.

Dubbed ‘Woman Cry’, this special 3 day event will unite people from all walks of life in traditional ceremony and peaceful protest at the disastrous Calga mining development, and send a message to governments and corporations alike that it is not okay to ruin our environment and bulldoze our ancient cultures for profit – and the community isn’t going to tolerate it.

Our Land, Our Water, Our Future

The NSW state government, like most governments today, seems determined to mortgage our land, our water, our culture and our future for the benefit of short-term corporate interests.

In December 2013, mining company Rocla Materials was granted the permission of the NSW State Government to extend its destructive  mining operation, a proposal that would see the company remove a million tonnes of high sandstone aquifier rock from the waterways at Calga each year for the next 24 years.

According to environmental expert Ian Sutton, the removal of this rock will cause irreversible damage to the Central Coast’s already-struggling  waterways and put further environmental pressure on the human and animal communities that rely on them for life, including over 30 endangered species. A species at particular risk is the Quoll, a native marsupial that inhabits the area – and which how lends its name to the camp site which community protesters have occupied since the mining approval was first announced.

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Beside the staggering environmental impacts, Rocla’s proposed mining extension would also desecrate an ancient  Aboriginal women’s sacred site; a site  where Aboriginal girls have undergone their traditional rites of passage into womanhood for tens of thousands of years, and which forms  part of the extremely sacred Aboriginal Dreaming Track and songline.

When Government Turns its Back on Community

In total disregard of widespread community opposition, the advice of local Aboriginal Elders, warnings from respected environmental experts, and concerns raised by local government representatives  about the consultation and approval process, the NSW state government refuses to review the situation.  Rather, their representatives are determined to keep defending this destructive yet profitable venture, ignoring  massive and active community opposition, and the long-term cultural and environmental implications. And by doing so, they have truly shown their hand….

By mirroring the attitude of their federal counterparts in their blatant disdain for the community that employs them, our so-called “leaders”  from the NSW state government have revealed  the depth of corruption and corporate back-scratching at play within their ranks.  They’ve drawn a very clear line in the public sand; their allegiance is to Rocla Materials and they will do what they can to protect Rocla’s financial interests, irrespective of political backlash or environmental damage.

It seems Rocla takes very good care of its hired puppets – they certainly  are very loyal!

Well, at least we know where we stand.

In response, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members of the community have come together to ask for the help and loving support of all Australians. Please join us in the tradition of Sorry Business and Grieving Ceremony, and share in our collective despair about the destruction and degradation that is occurring at this precious site, and all over this beautiful wide land.

Our-Sacred-Land-Identity-Water-Future -

Please join us in solidarity and help us protect this important site, together.

Stand up for the preservation of our cultures –  for the future of our land and water –  and for endangered animals that can’t stand up for themselves.

Help us send a message to short-sighted governments and self-serving  corporations that our land, our water and our future are not for sale — at any cost.

As the Elders say….

“It is time for us to unite, join together and walk as one, to protect what is left of this land’s ancient and irreplaceable stories, history and songlines. The Women’s Sacred Site and the ongoing destruction of the Aquifier and Hanging Swamps at Calga, is significant not only to Aboriginal women but to all human kind”.

Ngai Dhungang –  Woman Cry

Grief, Fire, Transformation.

Join the ‘Woman Cry’ event:

  • Friday 28th March – Sunday 30th March 2014
  • Camp Quoll –  800 meters north of 1 Darkinjung Road, Calga, NSW 2250
  • Camp sites are limited.  RSVP is essential.
  • Food will be available on site.
  • A donation of $10 per adult per day is suggested, to help sustain our volunteer demonstrators until Rocla and their cohorts in the NSW state government back down.

To confirm your place, phone:

  • Lynn on 0417 412 792
  • Walkabout Place on 02 4375 1100

Show your support:

  • Email your messages of support to  [email protected] –  the campers would love to hear from you!
  • Tell NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell what you think about  Rocla’s mining proposal  via this webform  – he may be somewhat less pleased to hear from you!

For more information:

Woman Cry

Previous articles by Andy Whiteley:

About the author:

Andy WhiteleyAndy Whiteley  is a former corporate manager  turned writer, editor and co-founder of  Wake Up World.  Guided by a strong sense of justice, Andy is a vocal advocate for genuine systemic change. He  believes we are on a necessary path (albeit bumpy) to a renewed social model – grounded in love, transparency, individuality, sustainability and spirit – and through his role at Wake Up World,  he hopes to have a positive influence on  that transition.

Andy lives  with his partner of 13 years (WuW co-founder, Ryan Mullins)  and  currently splits his time between Wake Up World and the beautiful hills  of the NSW Central Coast.

“Wake Up World, it’s Time to Rise and  Shine!”  

 

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