Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup

The name Strongbala Wimun Grup is Kriol language for ‘strong women’s group’. It has grown through the elders’ work and desire to provide more holistic support for women, children and families, to promote cultural connection and wellbeing, and to empower women’s voices, leadership and enterprise.

It began in the late 90s with women from many different language groups from around the region.

In 2021, the Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Group joined the LDAT program.  The women’s group was already doing work in their community around alcohol and other drugs (AOD), suicide, domestic violence and cultural healing from a wellbeing perspective.

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

Weaving cultural connection

The women’s group is the central point of contact for elders in the community. It’s a way to have culturally-led and appropriate conversation about issues affecting local families. The focus is not just 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.

Activities for the women’s group include weaving and conversation, facilitating social connection. Weaving is an important activity as it creates a sense of safety. It’s an opportunity for the women to talk about Lore and pass culture on.

LDAT program enabling community consultation

The funding from the LDAT project meant that the Strongbala Wimun Grup were able to do thorough community consultation. It enabled networking into gaps in the community, such as ongoing communication with 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.

There are family groups spread across a large region, so there is a challenge to connect everyone back together.

A young Jawoyn leader is now the head of the songlines project moving forward, he supports the women’s group. There are many strong young men in the region supporting the project, alongside the women.

The plan is to create culture camps and bring back certain corroboree dances, sharing culture and knowledge among generations that had been ‘lost’. Some of these dances haven’t been performed in decades and will be shared and restored.

“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.

“They’re patient and never give up. Certainly, for me working alongside that, I’m constantly learning.”

“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 LDAT project is allowing the Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup to create self-determined solutions to the challenges they are facing.

“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,” said Pip.

Growing Strongbala Way with the Banatjarl Strongbala Wimun Grup LDAT partners include Sunrise Health, Nyrrunggulung-Rise, Miriam Rose Foundation, Green River Aboriginal Corporation, Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation, Save The Children Australia and Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation.

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