Following a successful introductory Healthy Living Program at Xavier College in Wurrumiyanga in 2021, the Red Dust team were back.

Strong local connections within the team allowed the music and theme for the Storytelling project to develop quickly on day one. B2M lead singer and Wurrumiyanga resident Daniel Cunningham was employed as a local consultant and lent his amazing songwriting and vocal skills to much of the initial song recordings.

Daniel continued to guide and inform the project over the entire week, coaching and mentoring young people through the writing and recording process. Nathan Fejo also provided a local flavour to the song by writing and producing the music backing track for the project in collaboration with Xavier College students and community members.

The chosen theme for the project was this year’s NAIDOC theme “Get up, Stand up, Show up” and provided much discussion throughout the week with students and community members about human rights and the need to advocate and agitate for positive change. Led by Tammy and Shane from Mamanta, there was much talk about Tiwi people in the past that had championed the rights of First Nations Peoples.

“It's important that we continue to learn about and celebrate our Indigenous heroes and legends so we can be empowered to stand up for a better future for ourselves, our families and our Countrymen.

> Tammy & Shane

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Through participation in the Mamanta Heroes and Legends game, students had the opportunity to engage with important themes of identity, contribution and advocacy while learning about some of our greatest Indigenous achievers. Small groups of students also made their own short films about the need to support each other in hard times and work together to bring about change. These were then used in the music video to be premiered at the start of Term 3 to encourage young people to get back to school.

Thankyou for welcoming us back Wurrumiyanga, mana.

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