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I'm a proud Anaiwan woman from Armidale NSW and have been living on beautiful Gumbaynggirr Country in Coffs Harbour for the past nine years.
Gumbaynggirr Country – the Best of Both Worlds
It’s where the Great Dividing Range meets the Solitary Island Marine Parks, from rainforest with flowing waterfalls to beautiful beaches full of marine life. It’s beautiful country so rich in Culture, language, kinship and connection. I’m very lucky to be able to live and bring my family up in such a beautiful part of the Country, it’s very unique.
My Job – Being Part of it
Since finishing high school I have only worked in the health space, so having been given the opportunity to be a part of this industry has given me a whole new appreciation for life, I absolutely love this role. More often than none, sitting in an executive role, you're just behind the computer and constantly in meetings, however, the beauty of this role is that I get to go out on Sea Country and be one of the Rangers for the day. It's not just coordinating projects, it's actually being a part of them.
Normal day, I could be coming in having meetings and then that afternoon I could be out on Country with the Rangers. That’s what I love about this role, it’s so flexible and you need that. You need to be able to experience all roles of the organisation to really understand and make things work.
As the team grows and we're increasing our work on Country a lot more, there's a lot of demands for our team. It’s exciting times at NWAC, we've got this IPA that we are trying to achieve and if successful, we will be the first Sea Country IPA in NSW. Yeah, it's busy, it's full on, but having a great team and an amazing community around me makes it enjoyable.
Sea Country – a Way of Life
Sea Country is very important for Gumbaynggirr people, because the sea/ocean or gaagal, is their totem. Gumbaynggirr people have a very special and unique Cultural and spiritual connection to gaagal and to all its inhabitants. It holds history, it provides food sources, it brings people together, it heals and replenishes, it educates and it provides life!
Having the (Gaagal Wajaarr) Sea Country Indigenous Protected Area will allow an added layer of protection, and support us having a voice in decision making processes. It allows space for codesigning on projects to care for Country and allow our Cultural practices included in local, state and federal management plans, but also have our Rangers inclusive in on the ground works. Most importantly, it allows our community to have a seat at the table and to empower other Indigenous mob to do the same.
Language and Culture is Everything
Language and Culture is everything to our mob. It’s tradition, pride, identity and it’s about continuing this for generations to come. Coming from a community where we didn't grow up with language and Culture, I just feel so privileged to live on Gumbaynggirr Country. They are so rich in language, rich in Culture, rich in kinship and connection.
I didn't have that growing up and now I do, and my kids have that. Gumbaynggirr people are known for sharing and I’m so lucky that they have shared with me their Country, their language and their Culture.
Stepping Up
From humbled beginnings to where I am today, it has been such a big learning curve for me and everyday I learn something new. I could not continue to do what I do each day without my community, my team and my family. Each and every one of them have guided, supported and walked alongside me.
I say definitely don't put yourself in that square box, and use every opportunity that comes your way, because if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I say this to my team as well, as I never want them to only be Rangers. I share with them an insight into all parts of how an organisation works to allow them to have other opportunities that they may wish to undertake.
You never know what potential and experience your team have until you give them a go. Create opportunities and take opportunities!
Managing Pressure
There are a lot of pressures from work and family, but knowing how to manage that is key. I have learned to identify signs when my cup is becoming overfilled and implementing strategies to help reset and recharge.
I’m really lucky to have such an amazing team at both work and at home, who support me when needed. For me, it’s about utilising my village, identifying strategies and clear communication with those around me which helps me maintain positive health and wellbeing.
What I Love the Most
I love the abundance of knowledge that I learn from everyone around me, especially Elders and understanding how sea, land and sky Country works and connects. I find it fascinating how our ancestors looked after Country, animals and each other. It’s even more fascinating implementing those practices into Western science to support the rehabilitation and revitalisations of Country and the population of species for generations to come.
For me what is so special about this job is developing something truly unique for Gumbaynggirr people, working towards the first Sea Country IPA in NSW. This is such an amazing opportunity for them and to be able to assist that process, I feel very privileged. This is why I do what I do, to create opportunities, to spread education and awareness on caring for Sea Country and Sea Kins and to inspire.
I’m just a small piece of the puzzle that’s going to be something bigger for Gumbaynggirr people and hopefully for other mobs working on Sea Country.
-Katrina Widders
We pay our respects to all the First Nations people around Australia and their unbroken commitment to keep Country strong on land and sea. We acknowledge Indigenous partners, Traditional Owners, Elders past, present and emerging and extend our appreciation of their support and guidance of our daily work.
