Sunrise bungul for NAISDA students

Burarrwanga, Tony Ganambarr and Marcus Lacey, who have travelled from their remote homelands in North East Arnhem Land to share their Yolngu culture as part of the college’s week-long on-site Cultural Residency.

NAISDA’s Cultural Dance Coordinator Jo Clancy said the immersive program grounded and deepened students’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

“Students are immersed in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural learning throughout their training at NAISDA,” Clancy said.

“The sunrise dance celebrated connection to Darkinjung Country, as well as our students’ home Country and the Yolngu kinship they are adopted into by our cultural tutors from Nyinyikay.”

For many of the students new to NAISDA this year, the event marked their first experience of dancing on Country.

“Dancing barefoot on the ground, or sand, helps students understand and feel their connection to the earth, skies, waters, stars, sunrise and how this interaction transforms the dance,” Clancy said.

Dancing on soft sand can be difficult, but the experience also helps students develop understanding and technique of how the dances are practiced in North East Arnhem Land.

“We are extremely grateful to our cultural tutors for the generous sharing of their knowledge, culture and energy this week,” Clancy said. “Welcoming them back to the NAISDA family has been particularly special as this is the first time they’ve been able to return to Darkinjung Country since 2020 because of COVID-19.”

Lifeline celebrates 60 years

Lifeline Central Coast is celebrating the 60th birthday of the crisis support service.

Lifeline was founded in Sydney on March 16, 1963, and has been operating on the Central Coast since 1981.

It was conceived by Sir Alan Walker after he took a call from a distressed man who later took his own life.

Determined not to let isolation and lack of support be the cause of more deaths, Walker launched what was later to become the organisation’s 24/7 telephone crisis line.

Lifeline’s crisis support phone line was the first of its kind in Australia.

With roots in the Central Methodist Church and Wesley Mission, it took 100 calls on its first day and quickly expanded around Australia.

Lifeline Central Coast opened in Donnison St, Gosford, in March 1981 and has continually expanded its services and support to the community.

Lifeline Central Coast CEO Rob Sams said the local centre has played an important role in Lifeline Australia’s leading suicide prevention service.

“Our crisis support centre has 49 local volunteers taking calls every day of the year,” Sams said.

“We also offer local suicide prevention and mental health support training, face to face and online counselling and other suicide prevention and bereavement support programs.

“Lifeline couldn’t do what it does, nationally and locally, without the support of its selfless volunteers; sponsors; donors; community, government and business partners, and dedicated staff.”

Sams also volunteers as a crisis supporter, which he says is a privilege.

“We urgently need more crisis supporters and funding to train and support them so that we can continue to offer hope, compassion and connection to the increasing number of people looking to us for help,” he said.

“With ongoing community support, we’ll be here for another 60 years.”

Nationwide, the organisation has taken more than 23 million calls to date.

Lifeline Australia CEO Colin Seery said the organisation faced new and emerging challenges.

“Over the course of the past 60 years, Lifeline has reshaped and evolved during difficult times to remain at the forefront of crisis support and suicide prevention in Australia to this day,” he said.

“Especially in the past few years, Lifeline has played a critical role through distressing events and continues to be central in disaster response and recovery at community level and beyond.”

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide prevention and Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, said last year Lifeline launched 13YARN, a national crisis support line for Aboriginal

NAISDA’s Cultural Residency partnership with the cultural tutors will see a unique return visit by the full NAISDA cohort later in the year to the homeland of Nyinyikay where the students will continue the gift of sharing and learning Yolngu songs and dances on the Country where they were created.

Source: Media release, Mar 27 Brilliant Logic and Torres Strait Islander people, with help from the Federal Government.

“We are incredibly proud of our strong collaboration with Lifeline Australia,” she said.

“Like so many important Australian charities, Lifeline Australia is supported by trusted volunteers right around the country.

“This 60-year anniversary is a celebration of Lifeline, and all those they have helped in their journey.”

You can phone Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14 (24/7), text 0477 131 114 (24/7) or chat to Lifeline online at www.lifeline.org.au (24/7).

To help Central Coast Lifeline email centralcoast.lifeline.org. au or call 1300 152 854.

To donate to Lifeline, visit www.lifeline.org.au/donate

Terry Collins