Dave Whitelaw Manager

Marditja Banjima bush plants, foods & medicines

The Marditja Banjima Rangers and Elders have based themselves at the Karijini Eco-Retreat in the Pilbara Region of WA to study local native plants for bush foods and medicinal uses.

The Karijini on-country trip was planned by the Marditja Banjima Rangers to gain and share knowledge from their Elders about native plants, food and medicine.  Conservation Management Director, David Whitelaw is currently overseeing the Banjima Country Management team’s implementation of their Banjima Yurlubajagu Strategic Plan.

As part of this trip, staff at the Karijini Eco-Retreat were also given meaningful advice and education to ‘help build positive relationships and understanding between us and the Banjima People, the traditional owners of this land.’ Managers, Karijini Eco-Retreat.

Greater understanding leads to respect, and staff at the Karijini Eco-retreat have expressed their enthusiasm and gratitude for the training, offering tangible ways to incorporate what they have learnt into the everyday, including using language on signage and respectfully sharing knowledge with guests.

‘What a pleasure and a privilege it was to get some local knowledge first hand from the group...’ Managers, Karijini Eco-Retreat.

Further Welcome to Country and Cultural Awareness Programs are planned for 2018, to ensure the benefits of knowledge sharing are continued into the future.

The Banjima Country Management Team and Elders are congratulated for the ‘open and understanding’ way they shared their knowledge, which was received with sincere thanks from staff at the Karijini Eco-Resort.

Photos - Dave Whitelaw: from top
Ranger, Romnee Robinson is filming Banjima elders.
Senior Banjima elder, Alec Tucker waving with elder Naydene Robinson coming to rescue her hat. 
Karijini Eco-Retreat welcome sign.