Yarning circles: Listening on Country to capture Aboriginal insights into kangaroos

Since February this year, South Australia’s landscape boards have coordinated a series of yarning circles to give Aboriginal people a culturally appropriate way of contributing to discussions about kangaroos and the way they’re managed.

Yarning circles have been held on Erawirung (Berri), Narungga (Point Pearce), Kaurna (Adelaide) and Barngarla and Nukunu (Port Augusta) land, with more than 50 Aboriginal people from 14 nations involved.

“It’s thought to be the largest engagement of First Nations people on the topic of kangaroo management anywhere in the country,” said SA Arid Lands Landscape Board General Manager Jodie Gregg-Smith.

“The aim is to hear directly from First Nations people about an animal that is spiritually and culturally very important to them.

“We’re planning more yarning circles before the end of the year and then we’ll take the key messages to policy makers to ensure Aboriginal voices and knowledge are part of decision making.”

All in for reconciliation

With National Reconciliation Week celebrated between 27 May and 3 June this year, yarning circles offer a meaningful way to engage with Aboriginal people that respects cultural needs and practices.

Already four yarning circles have taken place with another two planned, providing opportunities to share perspectives on the cultural, social, economic, environmental and welfare matters related to kangaroos.

Participants have included Elders, First Nations community members, land managers and sometimes school students, covering topics such as kangaroo populations, Country health, and sustainable management approaches where cultural, environmental and animal welfare outcomes can be considered.

The yarning circles are led by the Kangaroo Partnerships Project, a state-based project managed by SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and involving landscape boards from Northern and Yorke, Hills and Fleurieu, Murraylands and Riverland, Eyre Peninsula, Alinytjara Wilurara and Green Adelaide.

The project aims to support the management of unsustainably high kangaroo populations that pose a significant threat to the environment, primary industries and the macropod species given the impact of overabundance on animal welfare.

It is funded by the Landscape Priorities Fund, the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board, the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board and The South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (which is one of eight Hubs established across Australia through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund). The program gathers key stakeholders - ecologists, animal welfare experts, land managers, pastoralists, industry, community, cultural authorities and government organisations - to explore and trial initiatives toward shared solutions.

“Protecting the welfare of kangaroos and wallabies is our top priority, and the best outcomes come from including all voices,” said Kangaroo Partnerships Project Coordinator Cassia Paragnani.

Culturally safe space for shared decision-making

At the heart of the yarning circles is respected First Nations facilitator Nat Sommerville, a Wagadagam woman of Mabuyag Zenadh/Torres Strait Islands, who lives and works on Ngadjuri Country as a primary producer near Spalding in the state’s Mid North.

Nat’s role is to guide each conversation in a way that respects cultural protocols, supports truth‑telling, and ensures that everyone has the chance to listen and learn.

“These are really important conversations to be having with mob leading the direction of what they want to see moving forward,” said Nat. “If we can create culturally respectful spaces to yarn, share and explore opportunities, we are more likely to build trust and achieve stronger outcomes.”

The yarning circles have involved discussions about select macropods including red, western grey and eastern grey kangaroos, euros or wallaroos and tammar wallabies.

Conversations have covered the cultural significance of kangaroo species, kangaroo management policies, commercial and non-commercial harvest processes, and future innovation and socioeconomic opportunities for First Nations communities.

A way to honour culture and look to the future

The first yarning circle was held in February on Erawirung land in Berri along the Murray River. Members of the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation attended, together with First Nations student representatives from Berri Regional Secondary College.

Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board’s Candice Love said the yarning circle was an opportunity to come together and learn about the status of the kangaroo population, engage in management discussions and share cultural knowledge.

“This was a first step in bringing western science and cultural knowledge together to begin making informed decisions,” she said.

On Barngarla and Nukunu land at the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden in Port Augusta, there was strong participation in the yarning circle with 9 Aboriginal people involved in the half-day discussion. Adnyamathanha Elder Alwyn McKenzie described the significance of gaining First Nations’ perspectives on kangaroos.

“Kangaroos and emus are our relatives, and they can’t speak for themselves,” he said. “It’s important to get input from Aboriginal people with lived experience and knowledge that’s been passed on. The more points of view shared the better.”

For participants at Point Pearce on Narungga Country, part of the conversation covered ways Indigenous Protected Area rangers could participate in co-management of kangaroos, including tracking populations.

Reflecting the spirit of National Reconciliation Week, each yarning circle has been unique, shaped by the Nations, cultural groups and individuals involved. Some have focused on sharing stories and cultural knowledge, while others have explored ideas, solutions and opportunities for involvement in managing kangaroos. Across all gatherings, there have been deep conversation, respectful listening and the sharing of cultural perspectives, strengthening understanding of the enduring connection between Aboriginal people and Country.

Find out more about the Kangaroo Partnerships Project