The Northern Tanami IPA

Traditional owners worked alongside CLC staff over 15 years to plan and implement management of the Northern Tanami IPA which was declared at a ceremony in Lajamanu in 2007.
A management committee oversees planning and decision making for all aspects of the IPA. Membership reflects traditional land ownership, corresponding broadly with northern, southern, eastern and eastern regions if IPA. The committee meets at least 2 times per year. Four main management themes guide the work of the NTIPA. The traditional owners set these goals with the CLC.
Yapa have been looking after country for a long time. The IPA is helping yapa to keep using yapa knowledge, laws and customary land practices (ways of looking after country) to keep country strong.
Yapa have always managed their country and have rules about who looks after country. The IPA has many important plants, animals and land forms. Since kardiya came to Australia new problems like weeds, feral animals and big wildfires have been coming in are making problems for country. The IPA is helping to stop these new threats using yapa and kardiya knowledge.
Both yapa and kardiya have knowledge and laws about how to look after country. The IPA is helping to teach young people and community members about these things so future generations can keep country strong.
Looking after country is a good job for yapa. The IPA is helping to create jobs for Rangers. It is also making jobs for yapa elders to teach Warlpiri Rangers and working with other partners to create more job opportunities out on country.
Northern Tanami Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) committee members directed the CLC to re-imagine their IPA Plan of Management, an English-heavy guide book for looking after the IPA. The brief was to create a lush digital resource using spoken Warlpiri that could be accessed both online and offline to mirror the content of the management plan and be navigated through voice commands. The CLC’s hope is that the IPA digital storybooks will help all Warlpiri – from elders to school children – to better understand and support the work to keep country healthy and culture strong. The CLC has made digital storybooks for both the Southern Tanami and the Northern Tanami IPAs. See www.ngurra.org and www.walyalku.org.au