Not enough has been done to increase cultural burning since the Bushfires Royal Commission recommended incorporating more Indigenous land management practices, a leading cultural burning practitioner says.
“There were no further discussions after the royal commission.”
“That’s why it’s so important … because we’re re-skilling and creating the practitioners of the future that will be burning and looking at the country full time.”
Reconnecting with culture Local Land Services said they had been involved in 16 cultural burn workshops in Dharug and Gundungurra country in Sydney’s west and the Blue Mountains, an increase from seven burns the year before.
With the ignited grass burning in small circles before the flames petered out on their own, the result was a mosaic pattern of burned patches.
“It’s important as an Aboriginal woman to have this knowledge and bring back these cultural practices,” Mrs Khaumchuang said.
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The October 2020 report which followed the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires called on governments at all levels to “explore further opportunities to leverage Indigenous land and fire management insights”.
The government [state and federal] gave a little bit of breadcrumbs to create Indigenous fire workshops for communities," Mr Steffensen said.
Proud Dharug woman Chantelle Khaumchuang attended burns this year, including one in bushland in Londonderry in Western Sydney.
The practice aims to rejuvenate local flora and make Country more healthy, supporting a more fire resilient landscape while reducing bushfire fuel loads.
There has been momentum in the last five years to restart cultural burning on Dharug and Gundungurra Country and beyond, through projects supported by Greater Sydney Local Land Services and Firesticks Alliance.
Indigenous groups interested in cultural burning are encouraged to contact their local NSW NPWS office, a spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said.
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