CLC Rangers 'Looking After Country'

Added by Central Land Council

Description Central Land Council Rangers ‘Looking After Country”

Over 100 Rangers gathered on Arrernte Country, travelling thousands of kilometres to Hamilton Downs Camp for their annual Central Land Council Ranger Camp. Amongst a busy training and development program rangers were guided by IHHP through a creative process of writing, recording and filming their very own Music Video called ‘Looking After Country’. This creative process provided voice for the rangers from 16 different groups across a vast geographical landscape encompassing many language groups. The rangers expressed their combined values of connection to country, culture, and lore and spoke about their obligation and responsibility to carry on the important work of their ancestors. In order to keep up with the changing landscape and environmental impacts, new Rangers are embracing new skills and employing cutting edge technology. During the camp Rangers were put through their paces. The sometimes risky and difficult tasks of being a remote ranger means they need the skills and qualifications to safely and confidently perform their jobs. From wrangling venomous snakes, driving bob cats and ATV’s, chemicals, trapping feral cats, using newly developed apps to protect threatened species (Bilby’s) through to obtain drivers license and reversing trailers.

Aboriginal Rangers are unique and leading the way in combining Indigenous ecological knowledge and modern contemporary land management practices.

Rangers groups who were represented at the 2018 Camp were:
Murnkurrumurnkurru Rangers
Northern Tanami Rangers
Warlpiri Rangers
Muru – warinyi Ankkul Rangers
Anmatyerr Rangers
Arltarpilta Inelye Rangers
Ltyentye Apurte Rangers
Anangu Luritjiku Rangers
Kaltukatjara Rangers
Tjakura Rangers
Angus Downs Anangu Rangers
Tjuwanpa Rangers
Tjuwanpa Womens Rangers
APY Rangers
Northen Territory Government Aboriginal Park Rangers
Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park Aboriginal Rangers

Shout out to Dale for the drone shots!

The Central Land Council Ranger Program are proudly funded by the Australian Government through Prime Minster and Cabinet and the Indigenous Land Corporation.

CLC Rangers "Looking After Country' Lyrics

Spoken Word Intro- Elaine Peckham

Prechorus-
Looking After Country
Working on our land
Listening to elders
The futures in our hands

Chorus-
Its our life, Its our land
Its our culture, Its our future

Welcome to our country we the ranger mob
Caring for country, yeah that’s our job
Women and men wear the uniform proud (Nikita)
Women and men working sacred ground (Helma)

Our landscape is changing, we got a lot to do (Helma)
We gotta put all our knowledge and work to use (Helma)
Collecting bush medicine plants and seeds
Spray all the buffle grass, killing weeds (Helen)

Teaching our kids about the danger of fire
Teaching the right way of what is required (Lionel)
When it comes to bush tucker no need for greed
We gotta make sure people only take what we need (mike) Northe Tanami Lajamanu mob

Were we come from is exactly were we going
Bush rangers we are flowing down thered road were glowing
What our land has growing – (Kylie)

Pre chorus-
Looking After Country
Working on our land
Listening to elders
The futures in our hands

Chorus-
Its our life, Its our land
Its our culture, Its our future (Farron)

Spoken word – Francis Kelly

I tell you what its like to be a bush ranger
Looking after country working out in nature (Florence)

Work from the sunrise till the dark night

When the stars shine down on our sacred sites (Thelma)

Traditional Owners guiding us the way
Teaching us the knowledge of traditional ways (Megan)

Protecting our water holes keeping them clean (Farron)
Working with my family we a powerful team

Keeping out the horses keeping out the camels (CARL)
Protecting our species insects and animals
We got sunnies, hats, got boots and coats (DENNIS )
putting our country under the microscope

Drivin in our troupes cleaning up the land
Teaching the way so the children understand - PRESTON

Camping in swags out bush setting traps
keep an eye on the feral pussy cats

Pre chorus-
Looking After Country
Working on our land
Listening to elders
The futures in our hands
Chorus-
Its our life, Its our land
Its our culture, Its our future (Farron Santa Teresa)
Spoken Word Outro- Aunty Doreen