Yia Marra: Good stories that make spirits strong
from the people of Ntaria/Hermannsburg &

Creating storylines: What is it about these stories that ‘make spirits strong’? And how did these stories come to be?

by David Denborough, Barbara Wingard, & Cheryl White

 Over the last few years, Dulwich Centre Foundation has been involved in a project in which Aboriginal communities have been sharing stories about special skills and knowledge in dealing with community hardships.

The first part of this publication consists of stories from Ntaria/Hermannsburg about the ways in which they are dealing with grief, the ‘grog’ (alcohol), and other community hardships. These stories have since been shared with other communities and some of the messages that have been returned are also included here.

The second part of this publication explains the principles informing this project and introduces new concepts in relation to collective narrative practice. Drawing on narrative ideas and the work of Paulo Freire, Sharon Welch, and Hilde Lindemann Nelson, this extended essay will be relevant to those responding to social suffering.

The CD which accompanies this publication contains a selection of stories and songs from Ntaria/Hermannsburg as well as messages from Chile, Norway, and the USA. 

The project has been the result of a partnership between Dulwich Centre Foundation, General Practice Network NT, & Western Aranda Health Aboriginal Corporation. Funding was provided by the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing.