Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sign acknowledging Aboriginal Custodians of the land

The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, previously the Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council, is a

Victoria
.

History

The Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council was established in 1985 by descendants of the

elders and about 60 members.[1] The members of the Council (later Corporation) are all descendants of a Woiwurrung / Wurundjeri man named Bebejan, through his daughter Annie Borate (Boorat), and in turn, her son Robert Wandin (Wandoon). Bebejan was a Ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri people and was present at John Batman's "treaty" signing in 1835.[2]

In 2003 questions were raised over claims of missing funds, after the organisation had not complied with its obligations to hold annual general meetings and lodge annual statements. Wurundjeri Land Council revenue was at that time predominantly from rental of buildings on the 38-hectare (94-acre) former Army School of Health site in

culturally sensitive areas.[3]

The council had a statutory role under Commonwealth legislation that gave it the power to grant or refuse consent to disturb Aboriginal sites. This gave the Council members a significant say in how their important cultural places were managed.[2][4] In 2006 the Victorian state government introduced the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, under which the council became approved as a Registered Aboriginal Party,[5] which allows the council to continue to make decisions about its cultural places. However the decision recognised only the area not under dispute with other parties.[2][4]

Roles

The Corporation has a number of different roles:[citation needed]

  • to raise awareness of Wurundjeri culture and history within the wider community.
  • actively managing archaeological sites and sites of cultural significance
  • benefiting the lives of present-day Wurundjeri people and families.
  • Welcome to Country ceremonies that can include speaking in language, traditional dancing, gum leaf and smoking rituals.

The Victorian Government has granted land of cultural significance for the Land Council to manage. These sites include:[citation needed]

Territorial disputes

Boundary disputes have existed among a number of parties, including the

Boon wurrung/Bunurong people to the south. The dispute over territorial boundaries continued to be challenged even after being set down in 1984 legislation.[2][4]

In June 2021, the boundaries between the land of two of the

Mount Cottrell, the site of a massacre in 1836 with at least 10 Wathaurong victims, would be jointly managed above the 160 m (520 ft) line. The two Registered Aboriginal Parties representing the groups were the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.[6]

Office location

In 2007 the

Native Police Corps headquarters and Merri Creek Aboriginal School.[citation needed
]

References

  1. ^ Goulding, Megan (September 2007). "The Interview" (PDF). The Abbotsford Convent Muse (18). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2008. This month we interview Megan Goulding, CEO of the Wurundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and Cultural Heritage Council.
  2. ^ a b c d Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, Decision in relation to an Application by Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council Inc to be a Registered Aboriginal Party, date of Decision: 22 August 2008. Accessed 2 November 2008
  3. ^ Larry Schwartz, Police inquiry into claims of missing funds, The Age, 12 October 2003. Accessed 2 November 2008
  4. ^ a b c Larry Schwarz, Aborigines seek law change over land row, The Age, 14 December 2003. Accessed 2 November 2008
  5. ^ "Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Parties". Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  6. ^ Dunstan, Joseph (26 June 2021). "Melbourne's birth destroyed Bunurong and Wurundjeri boundaries. 185 years on, they've been redrawn". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 July 2021.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wurundjeri_Woi_Wurrung_Cultural_Heritage_Aboriginal_Corporation&oldid=1050452413"