A Brief Visit to Ali Curung

Ali Curung July 2010

We returned to Ali Curung for the Dance Festival organised by the art centre and government agencies. We also wanted to meet up with some of our friends made over our years at Barkly Regional Arts.

It was a sad reunion. It was not long after the death of the much loved musician and song writer , “BM” Kumunjai Murphy, member of the band Nomadic. Many in the community are devastated by his death and we were glad to meet up with his two main partners in Nomadic, “AJ” and “EK”. Our next return to Ali Curung will be for the funeral.

“BM” and Nomadic were at the forefront of the push to get a music centre for Tennant Creek. They spent many hours with Lorna Martin, then head of Barkly Regional Arts, formulating their ideas and planning. The final result was the now successful WINANJJIKARI MUSIC CENTRE.

So how has Ali Curung fared since our departure and the takeover by the Barkly Shire?

Despite the millions being spent, community morale seems to be down. Housing repairs and paint jobs fail to hide the lack of care that formerly saw many well kept yards. Conversation with the Warlpiri people suggests there is an underlying discontent and an increasing feeling that they should move out to Jarra Jarra. The four language groups continue to struggle with their coexistence on Kaiditch (Kaytetye) land. Lack of resources will keep most of them put.

The last two years has seen the medical centre expanded to include a renal unit and the school has received a boost with more buildings,but still screening a declining school attendance. In a far corner of the old market garden, a controversial horticultural training centre is under construction that may see the revival of the market garden.

Without the hallmark, cultural and artistic facility, Arlpwe Art and Culture Centre one gets the feeling that Ali Curung might become even more of a gulag than ever. All the hardware in the world is wasted without properly resourced and right people to drive it. It was good to see that both the art centre and the Internet centre we set up with the community more than two years ago, were both doing well. The gallery is full of art and artefacts and the men have been involved in additional construction as well as furniture restoration.

The disbanding of the Ali Curung Council was in many ways a mistake. It was a place where any member of the community could have their say, allowing a sense of ownership. It could also be argued that if Ali Curung Council was properly resourced in the first place, millions could have been saved and better spent at the same time resulting in greater community capacity. Staff were closer to the people and more able to tailor programs to their unique needs.

So far the Barkly Shire's competence in managing Ali Curung has been appalling. This is reflected in moves by the community to expel two mangers in two years.

The dance festival, the first since the opening of the art centre two years ago, was a small affair lacking involvement from other communities. However, it is early days and if the enthusiasm of the local men and women dancers is anything to go by then the next one will be a lot bigger and better.