By Carla Gorton
Liberal and Labor politicians who have backed private developers Tom and Wendy Chapman's project to build a bridge to Kumarangk (Hindmarsh Island) should think twice after a capacity crowd filled the Maughan Church in Adelaide on November 20 for the "untold story" public meeting.
Speaking on Radio National after the meeting, Phillip Adams estimated the crowd at 1600. Those who attended gave a clear message of support for the campaign to stop the bridge. Speakers highlighted the role of right-wing media commentators such as Chris Pearson, Chris Kenny and Frank Devine, who have attempted to denigrate Aboriginal women's spiritual beliefs.
Marcia Langton exposed the double standards which apply to Aboriginal people, particularly in regard to spiritual beliefs and public secrets. She spoke about the dreaming stories of Aboriginal women and the process by which the Aboriginal community confers the title of elder on respected members.
The most powerful part of the evening was the warm show of solidarity with the Ngarrindjeri women who have been in the front line of attack by the establishment media, government and business interests. The evening concluded with a supper featuring performances by Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach, who have travelled to Adelaide especially for the Kumarangk "Long Walk", which begins on November 25 and culminates at Amelia Park on November 30.
The following is a statement of purpose for the Kumarangk Long Walk: "The Long Walk is the continuation of a journey which began for many people in 1993 with the attempt to build the Hindmarsh Island bridge. The Long Walk from Adelaide to Hindmarsh Island is a pilgrimage back to where this story began. The Long Walk will see Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people walking together in solidarity and in protest at the proposal to build this bridge.
"This is a journey for peace, where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people will walk together in love and trust, supporting and making a commitment to their shared beliefs and sense of each other. This is a journey for shared knowledge, where we will learn about the land over which we will walk, the significance of sunrises and sunsets, and sounds of the birds in the early morning and the importance of the knowledge handed down from past generations. This is a journey for protest, where we will in a non-violent way protest at an abuse of power, at a process of law which questions the spiritual beliefs of people as well as a system that does not concern itself with the abuse of a community's spirit."
[See pages 29-31 for details of how to support this important campaign.]