Dear Friends,

I am writing to let you know about a very inspiring project initiated by Yolngu women, at Yirrkala, in far Eastern Arnhem Land.

They have set up a bush healing place: somewhere Yolngu people can go to receive traditional healing using medicinal plants as well as a traditional sauna and massage. It is in the bush, away from the influences of town life and complements western medicine.

The women have been planning Dilthan Yolngunha Healing Place for a number of years, and its establishment has come at a crucial time. With the Federal Government taking an outmoded and paternalistic approach to dealing with issues in ndigenous communities, it time for real change. Indigenous communities need to be empowered to tell us what support they need. And its time for us to listen and to act.

We must find ways of building bridges of understanding and respect between non-indigenous and indigenous Australia, despite our Government. Aboriginal people have a life expectency 17 years less than the rest of Australia, and their babies die at 2 - 3 times the national rate. There are many very sad facts of Indigenous life which I could talk about but I want to focus on the positive. Indigenous Australians have so much to give and so much to teach us. And with support, they can assist their communities in whatever ways assistance is needed.

This Healing Place initiative is powerfuly postive.

I have met some of the women involved in this project when I was up there in 2005, and 06 and the work they are doing for their community is inspirational! But they need our support.

The Yothu Yindi Foundation (based in this area, and family members of the women setting up the healing place) is assisting in raising funds for shelters, toilets, showers, catering, a patient transport service and salaries for the healers. They haven't received any government money. Attached is a copy of the letter I received from Yothu Yindi Foundation.

They are asking for 2,000 people to donate $100 by August 7th (which is the time of Garma Festival, located on the same site as the healing place.) But any amount is good, and at any time!

If you can't donate please send these women your love and prayers that they may nurture health and wellbeing in their community.

Aternatively, you can write to the Prime Minister, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and anyone else you can think of and tell them (a) they should help fund the Healing Place, or (b) you aren't happy about their recent approach to 'assisting' communities. Attached is a proforma letter which you can use. For addresses of parliamentarians go to www.aph.gov.au/whoswho/index.htm

To find out more information go to www.healingplace.com.au

Thank-you very much for taking the time to read this, and please feel free to let others know.

Let me know if you have any ideas for what other things we can do to support our Indigenous brothers and sisters.

with love,

Sophie