Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup

Strongbala Wimun Grup is Kriol for “strong women’s group”. The group’s vision is to create positive change for women, families and communities.

The group began in the late 1990s with women from many different language groups across the region. It has grown through the Elders’ work and their desire to give more holistic support to women, children and families, promote cultural connection and wellbeing, and strengthen women’s voices, leadership and enterprise.

In 2021, the Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation joined the Local Drug Action Team (LDAT) program. The women’s group was already leading cultural healing and wellbeing work in its community, including on alcohol and other drugs (AOD), suicide and domestic violence.

Pip Gordon is the LDAT lead and Coordinator of the Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup at the Jawoyn Association.

Weaving cultural connection

The women’s group is the central point of contact for Elders in the community. It gives families a culturally led and appropriate way to talk about the issues affecting them, and the focus isn’t only on AOD.

“Siloing issues is not helpful. The women are focused on the strength of culture which impacts people in the wellbeing space. You can’t separate connection to country and looking after people. This work isn’t done by outside service providers – it’s elders and women in the community,” explains Pip.

The group’s activities include weaving and conversation, which build social connection. Weaving creates a sense of safety and gives the women a chance to talk about Lore and pass on culture. In this way, weaving helps bring people back together with their Lore and opens up communication across generations.

Community consultation through the LDAT program

LDAT funding meant the group could carry out thorough community consultation, reaching more people across the region, including Elders.

“What we could do with the LDAT funding from a consultation perspective was huge. The big thing that came out of the discussions was a need for reconnecting the songlines. Elders are able to share with each other the importance of dance,” said Pip.

Family groups are spread across a large region, so the songlines work brings people together across long distances.

Reconnecting the songlines

A young Jawoyn leader now heads the songlines project and supports the women’s group, alongside many strong young men in the region. The plan is to create culture camps and bring back corroboree dances, sharing culture and knowledge between generations. Some of these dances haven’t been performed in decades.

“The women are linking across the regions to other strong women. They’re doing it without big funding and creating solutions - enabling young men and women to join in with them. There’s real strength in these women, in times of challenge they find solutions,” said Pip.

Through the LDAT program, the Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup leads its own solutions, in its own way.

“From my perspective, these communities and women have been asking to be listened to for such a long time. It’s been a long slog. Finally, they’re given the resources they need and being supported to do it in the way they need to do it – it’s incredibly refreshing,” said Pip.

“It’s great to be able to say – here’s the funding, and you mob do your community consultation, and let us know what you need.”

“The cultural connection has been traumatised through no fault of their own. It’s super exciting that the elders, women and young people across many communities are talking about this stuff and working on a solution together.”

The group runs many projects, including a bush garden and Banatjarl Traditional Bush Medijin, a sustainable, independent enterprise that sells bush medicine products and elevates women, community and culture.

What the project achieved

Through the Growing Strongbala Way LDAT, communities across the Northern Territory came together through cultural camps, community consultations and intergenerational learning. Following participation, 100% of participants reported stronger connections with peers and Elders, and 100% reported strengthened connections to culture.

Partners

The Growing Strongbala Way project’s partners include Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, Nyrrunggulung-Rise, Miriam Rose Foundation, Green River Aboriginal Corporation, Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation and Save the Children Australia.

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Last reviewed: 1 November 2026