Visit to Australia
12 to 17 September 2010 Read more about the visit
Living Letters team
Back row: Rev. Sealin Garlett, Dr Hanna Grace. Second row: Georgia Corowa, Maria Chavez Quispe, Rev. Dr Anthony Dancer, Rev. Dr Mindawati Perangin-Angin, Fr Rex Reyes, Graeme Mundine. Front row: Renée Grounds, Hera Rere Clarke. Front: Renee Grounds, Hera Clarke
Nungalinya College
On Monday 13 September, the team visited Nungalinya College in Darwin. The college plays a national role in the education of Indigenous Australians, specifically in the areas of Bible teaching and ministry training, prevocational community services and disability work, and practical training for cross-cultural living. The picture shows members of the Living Letters team with students of the literacy course.
Theology students
The Living Letters team met with two classes at Nungalinya College. One was an adult literacy program which taught literacy through the bible. The other was an Indigenous Theology class. The students were from all over the Northern Territory so the team was able to learn about the experiences of several different communities by talking to them.
Aboriginal Anglican clergy
In the afternoon, the team met with Anglican Aboriginal ministers from all over the Northern Territory. They were attending a future leaders course for Aboriginal clergy and spent significant time telling us about their experiences of the Intervention in their own communities.
Galiwink'u community meeting
Maria Chavez Quispe presenting the pastor of the Uniting Church at Galiwink'u with a WCC candle. During a meeting with the local community, the Living Letters team learned about the impact of the 2007 "Northern Territory Emergency Response" – locally known as the "Intervention".
Amoongna, near Alice Springs
The Living Letters team with Marie Elena Ellis at Amoongna. She is the president of the community council at Amoonguna, a community near Alice Springs. She took the team on a tour of the community and told them how the community council is resisting the Intervention and taking the Shire council and government to court.
Press conference
At a press conference held on Friday, 17 September, at the Anglican Cathedral, Darwin, and followed by a public forum, the team presented its initial observations. Click here to read the statement.
All photos © Gabrielle Russell-Mundine/WCC
These photos can be used free of charge to illustrate articles about the Living Letters visit or the ecumenical movement in general. High resolution versions can be requested via photos.oikoumene.org
