alpa 40 years on, our story so far

1- The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation -

4 yearsThe Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation

ICN 7137

ALPA 40 YEARS ON, OUR STORY SO FAR...

BY HENRY HARPER

ALPA- 40 YEARS ON, OUR STORY SO FAR

BY HENRY HARPER

2 - The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation -

Mission Statement:Our mission is to conduct an efficient retail business emphasising

customer service, nutrition, staff development, training and education.

We strive to enhance the social and economic development of our members, giving primacy to their cultural heritage, dignity

and desire for equality with their fellow Australians.

4 yearsThe Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation

ICN 7137


ALPA: A brief history and corporate overview 40 years on.ALPA was established in 1972. We began as a co-operative of community stores in seven Arnhemland communities. We have come a long way in 40 years, from small, counter sales stores in tin sheds, to fully self-service, air-conditioned stores offering a wide range of quality products in remote communities.

How ALPA began Prior to 1972, the Indigenous people of Arnhemland (Yolu) were under the supervision of the Methodist Overseas Mission Commission (MOM). The community stores were owned and operated by the church. ALPA was formed as part of MOMs economic development plan for Yolu people. ALPAs initial members were seven community stores: Warruwi, Gapuwiyak, Galiwinku, Milingimbi, Minjilang, Ramingining and Yirrkala. ALPA borrowed almost $1m to upgrade plant and equipment. The early successful operation of the stores enabled the loan to be repaid within three years (Ajurumu and Yirrkala stores left ALPA in the 1980s). Since that time ALPA has been financially independent, with no operational or financial connection to the church.

ALPA, as a retailer, is one of the largest financially independent employers of Aboriginal people in Australia. Over the years with prudent use of modest surpluses, ALPA has developed community and vocationally related educational resources and programs, assisted members with small business ventures and implemented a health and nutrition strategy. ALPA also sponsors many community events in our member communities.

ALPAs success is based on forty years of experience and successful achievements and from the continuing development of Aboriginal people within the context of their own organisation. ALPA works independently but cooperatively with government agencies and other service providers to enhance the quality of life and opportunities for our members while reducing dependency and disadvantage.

Working with other communities. In the early 1980s a community from outside the ALPA group asked for assistance in managing their store. The store was in financial difficulty and the community lacked the retail expertise to keep the store financially viable. The community however, still wanted to retain ownership and have real input into the store. This was the beginning of ALPAs consultancy store service, which currently manages twelve enterprises owned by other community organisations.

A successful business modelALPA, has for 40 years, developed its successful business model of Yolu and Balanda (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) people working together to deliver a business model based on sound commercial principles with a benevolent mission. This is a proven model developed in a uniquely cross cultural environment in Australias most remote regions, successful where many others have failed.

A pragmatic approach of working appropriately within the environment in which we operate has achieved a strong, sustainable enterprise for its Yolngu members within the context of their own enterprise. ALPAs strength is its strong governance principles represented through its Yolu Chairperson & Board of Directors and its financial independence. The Board of Directors set the corporations policy vision and direction for management, like any other corporate entity in Australia. This is achieved in an often unique, ever changing and at times volatile environment.


The idea of this publication was to collect a few stories that were reflective of ALPA and its environment over the last 40 years. There is a focus on history. For Yolngu the present and future are filtered back through history as a way of negotiating meaning. Most of the history covered can be heard when sitting down with Yolngu, even if the event was several hundred years ago. We have included a few yarns for a bit of a laugh. They will give readers some idea of life in remote communities.

Yolngu is the name the indigenous people in Eastern Arnhemland use when referring to themselves, while in Western Arnhemland, the name used is Bininj. Balanda is use when referring to non-indigenous people. It is derived from Hollander the Macassan word for the same group.

Contents

Introducing the Chairman, the Board and Alastair King ALPA CEO Page 5

Section 1

History and Contact Page 9

Section 2

From Missions to communities: the era of self-determination: economics and ALPA Page 13

Section 3

The birth of ALPA Page 19

Section 4

ALPA Corporate Activities Page 22

Nutrition

Australian Retail Technology

Australian Retail Consultants

Australia Retail Trainers

Section 5

Major Initiatives for ALPA Page 28

North Centre West (NCW) ALPAs wholesale venture

Traditional Credit Union

The Yolngu Family Enterprise ScheNo to plastic bags

Section 6

The profile of the ALPA communities Page 31

Section 7

Yarns, ideas and maybe a few lies: working with ALPA Page 43


Getting to know ALPAs Chairman of the Board: Rev. Dr. Djiniyini GondarraRev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra of the Golumala clan was born at Milingimbi in 1945. His father was for many years a captain of the mission boats. After education at the Methodist mission school, Djiniyini trained at theology colleges in Brisbane and in Papua New Guinea. Returning to Arnhemland he spent seven years as a Minister at Galiwinku. He lectured at Nungalinya College before being appointed Moderator of the Uniting Church northern synod for two years 1984-1986.

For ten years up to 1993 he was Vice President, then President of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress. During the World Council of churches Congress in 1991 he was elected to the central committee. In 1992 he became Executive Officer of ARDS. In 1993 he became Chairman of ALPA a position he has held continuously since then.

In 1995 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal, and has been a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation since 1997. He holds a number of Directorships on other Boards and has published widely on issues concerning indigenous Australians.

He was awarded an honorary Cultural Doctorate in Literature by the World University of Roundtable, Arizona in 1991.

From his early days at Milingimbi, and then later at Galiwinku, learning from the missionaries, Djiniyini has had a passion for helping people to bridge the cultural divide that exists between Indigenous and other Australians. This has been part of his work within the Methodist and Uniting churches but also as an Australian citizen.

He has long championed the recognition of Aboriginal Traditional Law as a source of law in Australia. Since his retirement, Djiniyini has been actively involved in the business world and operates his own consultancy and small family business with cross cultural communication as his main area of focus and operation.

As well as his personal business interests he maintains an active interest in the day to day operations of both ARDS and ALPA as their chairman and still lobbies for the recognition of Aboriginal Traditional Law. In recent years he has travelled nationally and globally with other Indigenous leaders for the promotion of the documentary Our Generation which provides information on the impact of the Intervention on the Yolngu at Galiwinku. .

A widower, Djiniyini has five adult children and lives at Galiwinku on Elcho Island in North-East Arnhem Land.


Who are the ALPA Board of Directors?Minjilang: (Croker Island)

Community Member Representative: Steven Nabalmarda

Traditional Landowners Representative: Samuel Yarmirr

Galiwinku: (Elcho Island)

Community Member Representative: Jacky Djawut

Traditional Landowners Representative: Richard Gandhuwuy

Associate Director: Brendan Burpur Garrawurra

Gapuwiyak: (Lake Evella)

Community Member Representative & Deputy Chairman: Mickey Wunungmurra

Traditional Landowners Representative: Jimmy Marrkula

Associate Director: Jason Butjila

Milingimbi:

Community Member Representative: Keith Lapulung

Traditional Landowners Representative: David Marpiwuy

Ramingining:

Community Members Representative: Richard Bandilil

Traditional Landowners Representative: Michael Dawu Gurralpa

Community Liaison Officer and Staff Cultural Mentor: David Djalangi

Mentor Associate Directors: Geoffrey Gurruwanawuy


Introducing Alastair King: Chief Executive Officer of ALPA

Alastair and wife Lina arrived as the ALPA managers at Milingimbi in January 1994. Alastair

followed the advice most people are given ease in, look, listen, and take things slowly, talk

to and trust your supervisors. They worked together with the Supervisors with the Milingimbi

Directors calling in regularly for support.

As the relationships developed they delegated work and sought support and tuition for jobs

they found difficult. Bit by bit Yolngu workers stared teaching them a little language, and

important cultural issues like that of cultural relationships. Not surprisingly the relationships

grew, both parties learnt more, the store looked really good and it became more profitable.

Alastair and Lina left to start a family in 1997 but returned to Darwin in 1999 when Alastair

was offered a position as Operations Manager. In 2000 Alastair became ALPAs sixth General

Manager since its inception in 1972.

Taking a similar slowly, listen a lot approach, Alastair was inducted by the Chairman, the

Board and Stuart McMillan a former General Manager, now Board facilitator/interpreter,

into the world traditional Yolngu economics, law and governance as it applies to running

the corporation in todays business environment. Together hard corporate decisions were

made in reducing overheads to return ALPA to a solid financial position. Funds were used to

significantly upgrade store facilities for the benefit of members.

Other milestones include establishing an external Investment Committee to advise the

Board on diversification and investment strategy. The development of ALPAs FOODcard as a

voluntary budgeting tool was a response to direct community concerns about families running

Perhaps the most surprising event in Alastairs career was the ALPA Board agreeing to the 12

month secondment as CEO of Outback Stores. It was a fully informed decision with the

Yolngu Directors concerned for the wellbeing of other remote peoples and locations. There

are many challenges ahead of this 40th year of the operations of ALPA as government policy

re-shapes the remote retail environment and the lives of ALPA members.


out of food during the pay cycle. The re-launch and expansion of ALPAs Nutrition Strategy

and the employment of a Nutritionist directly benefitted members. ALPAs response to the

Minjilang store being destroyed in 2006 where goods were available the next day and a new

store opening a year later was impressive.

In more recent times the establishment of Australian Retail Technology which now delivers IT

support to more than 50 stores, the negotiation of 40 year leases, negotiating and building

the East Arm Independent Grocers warehouse and ALPA new office next door as well as the

distribution of a new ALPA members DVD.

Perhaps the most surprising event in Alastairs career was the ALPA Board agreeing to the 12

month secondment as CEO of Outback Stores. It was a fully informed decision with the Yolngu

Directors concerned for the wellbeing of other remote peoples and locations. There are many

challenges ahead of this 40th year of the operations of ALPA as government policy re-shapes

the remote retail environment and the lives of ALPA members.


Section 1 History and Contact

The Last Frontier or Australias Busy Front Gate to Asia being minded by Yolngu for the last 550 years

The last frontier bit of history was in 1824 when Fort Dundas on Melville Island became the first British settlement in the top end, it lasted for 4 years and failed because Captain Bremer saw no need to establish good relationships with the Tiwi. Fort Wellington on Coberg (1827) fell over after two years, while Fort Victoria at Port Essington started in 1838 and lasted until 1849. It was Goyder who eventually unrolled his swag in Darwin in 1869. He named it Palmerston.

Yolngu tourism and trade delegations to Indonesia 1550 1880

By the 1700s, Yolngu fluent speakers of Malay had regularly travelled with the Macassans back to Makassar (now Unjung Pandang province in Sulawesi in Indonesia). References support a few hitch hiking Yolngu travelling to other Indonesian Islands as far as Singapore (with the Bugis) and to Macao then a Portuguese colony on the Chinese mainland.

NOT the last frontier: no one was waiting to be discovered the Yolngu society and 40,000 years of land management with only occasional wars

The exact date that the Yolngu came to Australia is unknown, it was more than 40,000 years ago. While it was tough in the desert, the Yolngu on the north coast were doing very nicely. There was a relative abundance of food and the mild climate meant there was little need for clothing or housing. There was no need to lock up your valuables as discipline (and punishment) was a key feature of this society.

A sophisticated system of relationships, clans, law and trade had developed. Yolngu farmed their estates with groups coming together in particular estates in times of abundance. There was no such thing as a free feed and the visitors became obligated to their host, to be paid out in other goods and services. It was not an idyllic society, sickness, wars and disputes occurred but with a disciplined and purposeful approach the Yolngu lived sustainably in their environment.

Contact history before 1824 Fort Dundas: Dominated by the Macassans from 1450 to 1906

The Dutch documented the Macassans coming to Australia to trade (known to them as Marege) in 1451. It is likely they were here before then. This trade continued until 1906 when they were barred entry. It is generally accepted that the Chinese visited around the same time, as well as Arab traders.

Dutch and Portuguese

The Dutch sighted the NT coast in 1606 coming again in 1623 and landing on Tiwi Islands in 1705. The Portuguese also called in around the same time, using maps made by Marco Polo referring to Australia as Java la Grande. Meanwhile on Chinese maps the area was referred to as Land of Parrots and Land of Fire. The most prolonged contact with the Portuguese was when Nelson Tavares started working for ALPA at Pirlangimpi in 2008.

The Methodist Overseas Mission (MOM) gets a big piece of Arnhemland in 1914

Before discussing the long contact between Yolngu and the Macassans we need to note the arrival of the Methodist church as part of contact history


Following consultation between church groups interested in working with Aboriginal Australians and a submission to the Federal Government (which then administered Northern Territory), a notice in the Government Gazette confirmed the area allocated to Methodist Overseas Mission commencing in 1914. Specifically:

All that portion of the Northern Territory of Australia, commencing at Cape Gray, Caledon Bay, thence westerly for two hundred and one miles, thence northerly for sixty eight miles, thence westerly for about seventy miles to the sea coast, Van Diemens Gulf, thence northerly, north westerly, easterly and southerly along the coast to the point of commencement including adjacent islands.

In essence the area is every where from Numbulwar to Melville Island. In 1915, Reverend James Watson, fresh from Papua was nominated to explore the region. Now we can discuss the Macassans.

The Macassans: Tamarind trees and evidence of the 500 years trade relationship between Yolngu and the Macassans

Trepang was Australias first economic resource to result in an export boom.

When Mathew Flinders arrived at Nhulunbuy in 1803, while mapping the Australian coast, he engaged a fleet of around 30 Macassan praus with more than 1000 fishermen on board. This was at a time when the population of Sydney (and surrounds) was 7000. There was of course more than one fleet travelling south each season.

The Macassans travelled from the port Makassar on Celebes with others from Timor, Roti and Aru, arriving in December with the north-west monsoons at their permanent camps to collect and process trepang. They traded with Yolngu for other products including pearls, pearl shell, turtle shell, timber, medicinal herbs, beeswax and the much sought after trocas shell. The Bugis whose boats had distinctive eyes painted on the bow also travelled south.

They stayed around 4 or 5 months and left with the winds at the beginning of the dry they would take the trepang and other goods to trade with the Chinese. Their end of season beach parties fired by arrack and gin were legendry.

Yolngu pearl seeding techniques

Yolngu estate owners would develop strategic relations including intermarriage with individual prau captains to ensure long term trading relations. They became family. Yolngu provided much of the labour preparing the trepang as it was collected boiled (in clay vats more than 1 meter wide) dried and smoked. Yolngu oyster farmers had mastered the practice of pearl seeding both oysters and clams.

Iron goods, tobacco, rice and cloth

In turn the Macassans traded rice, cloth, fish hooks, knives, axes, arrack, gin and tobacco. It was not just a trading relationship; it included the exchange of high level scientific knowledge including a detailed explanation on the correct use of tobacco. Yolngu developed song cycles and laws to govern tobacco use. In that era tobacco was not abused.

The Yolngu developed sea as well improving land based hunting economies with the introduction of Macassan inspired dug out canoes and shovel nosed spears, which required the Yolngu to develop cold welding techniques.


Yolngu and the resource boom: unlike Gina they got on well with their families

The trade with the Macassans made the Yolngu and other coastal clans and tribes wealthy and powerful. Steel tools and tobacco travelled down trade routes through more than 500 language groups into central Australia. Yolngu prized boomerangs used in ceremonies coming from the centre having been traded through many language groups.

1906 The Catastrophic Economic Meltdown of Yolngu nation: first taxation, cattle stations and then the banning of the Macassans

In 1906 the Macassan fleet was denied entry into Australian Waters. The South Australian Government had outlawed the Macassans coming to Australia. This caused devastation for the Yolngu who were never informed and waited in vain for the return of the traders. Family members were stranded in Makassar. It caused confusion and chaos right down the trade routes.

The warning signs had been there: the Government had already set up Customers Officers at Raffles Bay and on Melville Island in 1883. Macassans were being charged excise on the way in for the tobacco, gin and arrack. They paid in Dutch Gold. On the way out they were taxed on the trepang and pearl shell that they had collected. The Yolngu trade routes had already begun to fracture, especially in the Roper valley where cattle station owners had killed many people.

The Cattle Station Wars: Wars the Yolngu won

Unlike the Macassans who fully respected Yolngu land title and law, the cattle station set arrived with openly hostile attitudes to Yolngu. Florida station (near what is now Ramingining) settled by Macartney and Mayne in 1885 having secured a 5000 square mile lease on the Goyder River. Fifteen years later another war occurred at the same location.

In a reprisal for the Yolngu killing and eating of a cow the station killed a group of Yolngu with gifted poisoned horse meat.

The Yolngu embarked on a guerrilla war, spears and stealth against guns. All station workers were fully armed. The Yolngu killed the Chinese and Malay workers and systematically drove off and speared the cattle, using their fire management skills to good effect. In 1893 the owners abandoned the station driving the remaining cattle south to Auvergne station on the Baines River.

The Eastern and Africa Cold Storage Company Ltd.Used a squad of mounted and armed men to perpetrate systematic genocide in the Roper Valley: but the Yolngu took their empire down

Formed in 1899 with a capital base of half a million pounds the Eastern and Africa Cold Storage Company had a lease for all animal, mineral and vegetable rights for North Eastern Arnhemland an area of 51800 square kilometres. It held leases to Elsey, Hodgson Downs, Wollogorang and the former Florida station now Arafura. It decimated the Roper population who took refuge at the Roper River mission.

The flashpoint at Arafura was when Yolngu took a small roll of barbed wire to make fish spears incurring the wrath of the armed mounted patrol. People tried to hide but men, women and children were shot out of the trees where they tried to hide. The rest is history


with Yolngu again embarking on a guerrilla war, honing skills developed ten years previously, attacking and then vanishing into the swamps. The station was abandoned in 1908 with only 9000 of the 20,000 cattle remaining.

The Lesser of Two Evils Yolngu and Bininj ally themselves to the missionaries

In a chapter titled the The Lesser of Two Evils in Richard Trudgens 2000 publication Why Warriors lie down and die he discusses the arrival of Reverend Watson which didnt start well. He established the Goulburn mission on sacred ground. At this time both Yolngu and Bininj were troubled by the changing times. Cattle stations, Buffalo and crocodile shooters, pearlers, timber cutters and tin miners had started to arrive and the place was becoming lawless and dangerous, women were unsafe, people were being shot, beaten and treated like slaves.

Watson while not understanding cultural law spoke about a creator; he was both a spiritual person and a fair trader who had very high regard for Yolngu and bininj. After prolonged discussions the Yolngu and bininj decided to ally themselves with the missionaries to enable them to defeat other balanda. Strategically they decided to work along side the missionaries to find out the source of balanda power. It was a valuable alliance. At Yirrkala, missionaries defused the mounting of a punitive government expedition as retaliation for the death of some Japanese and a police officer.

Rev James Watson the cyclist and missionary: rode from Pine Creek to Elsey station and back in1915

Rev. James Watson was appointed to explore the Methodist Overseas Missions new turf: the piece of Australia between Melville Island and Numbulwar (Rose River). He did this before setting up at Goulburn Island Mission. He travelled by boat to Melville Island and then with packhorse to Murganella to stay with Paddy Cahill a buffalo hunter who employed over 100 Bininj. He travelled widely in Western Arnhemland then along the coast. Watson loved Milingimbi and thought it would make a good mission site.

On his return to Darwin Watson who was 49 years old at the time, decided to explore the area south of Darwin by bicycle. Hes gone troppo they said as Watson set off in October 1915, caught the train to Pine Creek, got off tied his swag to his bike and set off. He rode down past Mataranka to Elsey station where it was so hot the patches melted off his tyres and back again. It is a story of determination and endurance well beyond normal human capacity

Yolngu and the Second World War

Milingimbi had become an RAAF base, with the mission getting a contract to build the airstrip. Unbeknown to the Yolngu who did the work this made Milingimbi an enemy target. The Reverend Harold Shepherdson a missionary based at Milingimbi also believing the risk to be high and relocated everything that was bolted down, including a sawmill to Elcho. On May 9 1943 Milingimbi was bombed wiping out most of the remaining buildings. One Yolngu was killed and others hurt. It was attacked again the next day but defended by the Spitfires based at Milingimbi getting into the air and shooting down 4 of the Japanese planes.


All along the coast Yolngu expertise was utilized in locating many air crews that had crashed. Yolngu rescued American aircrew, found two Japanese and took them to Croker. At Elcho they found 3 American Filipinos in a small boat (who really had to talk fast about not being Japanese) who had been sent on a mission 3 months earlier from Borneo to try and get information to Allied Headquarters in Brisbane. The present Chairperson of ALPA, Djiniyini Gondarras father Wili, as skipper of the Larrapan was active in many war time activities including several rescues of aircraft crash survivors.

The beheading of the Rev. Len Kentish by the Japanese

Len Kentish a missionary from Goulburn Island and District Chairman was hitch hiking aboard the HMAS Patricia Cam to visit the missions along the coast. Enroute from Milingimbi to Elcho it was bombed by a Japanese amphibian plane and sunk near Wessel Islands on the 22 January 1943. The plane circled and machine gunned survivors killing many including Yolngu from Yirrkala. The plane landed and Len Kentish was taken aboard at gunpoint. The remaining survivors with the help of Yolngu were rescued a week later. After the war, news came that Len Kentish was beheaded three months after his capture.

The Northern Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit (NTSRU) the Yolngu and Donald Thompson

In consultation with the government about the lack of security on the north coast Donald Thompson an anthropologist who had spent years in Arnhemland (the first person to document Yolngu economics) and campaigner for Yolngu rights, formed the NTSRU in June 1941. Given a boat, the Aroetta he mounted a gun found on an abandoned aircraft and headed for Arnhemland. With help from Raiwalla (from near Ramingining) his co- researcher he gathered a group of about 50 Yolngu all known to him; the role was to gather intelligence, launch surprise raids, capture small ships and harass larger forces until re-enforcements arrived. Thompson was in no doubt the Yolngu warriors were up to the task.

Thompson had also proposed using Yolngu who could still speak Malay be used for reconnaissance and guerrilla warfare on the Malay Peninsular.

Getting convicted Japanese killers out of gaol so they

could kill the Japanese

Members of the NTSRU included three of Wongus sons who had been jailed in an incident known as the Caledon Bay Massacre. Japanese trepangers had been speared after having shot at and beaten Yolngu. The incident also involved married Yolngu women. There was a trial and Wongus three sons were jailed at Fannie Bay. Thompson secured their release to join the NTSRU so that they could kill more Japanese. Im sure one could imagine Yolngu saying I will never understand you balanda.


The reunion of the NTSRU ANZAC Day in Nhulunbuy 1995 plus back pay and medals

In 1995 as a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation activity, ALPA organized a reunion of the

NTSRU. The surviving members, Raiwallas son, along with the one survivor of the four

balanda that were part of the NTSRU marched on ANZAC day in Nhulunbuy, to the complete

surprise of the mining community and the pride and joy of the several hundred Yolngu who

turned up to watch.

The reunion of the NTSRU- ANZAC Day in Nhulunbuy 1995 plus back pay and medals

In 1995 as a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation activity, ALPA organized a reunion of the NTSRU. The surviving members, Raiwallas son, along with the one survivor of the four balanda that were part of the NTSRU marched on ANZAC day in Nhulunbuy, to the complete surprise of the mining community and the pride and joy of the several hundred Yolngu who turned up to watch.


Section 2 From missions to communities

The Post-war period: recovery and stability for rations

The period following the war was one of stability and growth for the Yolngu nations. Yolngu

outside the mission would trade goods, especially crocodile skins for rations and later on for

cash. This was a period of growth at missions who were dependent on Yolngu for many

things. With only periodic transport Yolngu caught much of the food, they worked in the

gardens, knew where the timber was, worked in the sawmills and built the houses. Mostly

they were paid in rations and later some cash was included. The mission staff were

encouraged to learn language and some did. While the missions did not recognize Yolngu

law and land title, it liaised with the Yolngu through an elder on the station council and with

traditional cultural leaders on the village council. They organised the work groups to

maintain harmony. An example is the fishing fleet at Elcho which had 6 small boats one for

each clan of fisherman. They would compete against one another to see who could catch the

most fish.

The church moves to self determination the 1970s

The change in government policy in the late 1960s and 70s heralded the era of self

determination and led to the withdrawing of direct funding to missions. The government felt

that the missions were impeding the rights of Yolngu to take control of their own future. The

mission re-assessed its position in communities. In 1972 the Methodist Mission became a

separate agency of the Uniting Church in North Australia. A new agency the churches

development arm was called Civic and Economic Development Council Inc. (CEDAR). It was

later renamed the Aboriginal Advisory and Development Service. ALPA came into being at

the same time.

The church moves to self determination the 1970s

The change in government policy in the late 1960s and 70s heralded the era of self determination and led to the withdrawing of direct funding to missions. The government felt that the missions were impeding the rights of Yolngu to take control of their own future. The mission re-assessed its position in communities. In 1972 the Methodist Mission became a separate agency of the Uniting Church in North Australia. A new agency the churches development arm was called Civic and Economic Development Council Inc. (CEDAR). It was later renamed the Aboriginal Advisory and Development Service. ALPA came into being at the same time.

Section 2 From missions to communities

The Post-war period: recovery and stability for rations

The period following the war was one of stability and growth for the Yolngu nations. Yolngu outside the mission would trade goods, especially crocodile skins for rations and later on for cash. This was a period of growth at missions who were dependent on Yolngu for many things. With only periodic transport Yolngu caught much of the food, they worked in the gardens, knew where the timber was, worked in the sawmills and built the houses. Mostly they were paid in rations and later some cash was included. The mission staff were encouraged to learn language and some did. While the missions did not recognize Yolngu law and land title, it liaised with the Yolngu through an elder on the station council and with traditional cultural leaders on the village council. They organised the work groups to maintain harmony. An example is the fishing fleet at Elcho which had 6 small boats one for each clan of fisherman. They would compete against one another to see who could catch the most fish.


Assimilation and the cash economy The start of dependency

The onset of the training allowance paid in lump sums to the newly formed Community Councils eroding industries and the strong economic base established by the mission

Traditional Yolngu society is highly accountable. This shift to the missions work for rations and small wages had been easily understood. The newly formed Councils lacked the infrastructure and expertise to provide meaningful employment but Yolngu were paid award wages anyway. Compounding this was that younger people with schooling and literacy were in some locations paid more than older highly skilled and traditionally powerful Yolngu. The new Council staff viewed the inefficiency of the 6 small Elcho fishing boats and were able to get one big one. No it didnt work.

Community Advisors the coming together of old and new structures

With the demise of the mission and its Superintendants, some of the former mission staff, like builders, mechanics and essential services transferred across to the Council retaining a similar job. Others, some of them trained in community development became advisors to the new Community Councils.

The Community Advisors were employed by the Aboriginal Advisory and Development Services (AARDS) part of the newly evolved church structure where the Methodist Church became a separate legal entity from its non religious development wings. AARDS still received direct government funding. Council administrative staff, including accountants and town clerks were newly created positions filled by non mission personnel. This in itself produced a level of tension.

Self Determination: What the government structure delivered was Self Management

The Chairman of ALPA the Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra explains that Yolngu leaders had strongly expressed a desire for self determination to the Church led Commission of Inquiry. They wanted a self paced partnership. What they got through the rapid funding shifts and Community Council structure was self management. Yolngu leaders were not ready for it. Over the years Yolngu had worked with the Missions Village Council Structure; while not ideal it was workable


The fading hopes of Community Leaders: the rise of young pseudo leaders

Some places faired better than others in the transition from mission to Community Council. With help from the newly created Council Advisors who conveyed clear information to Yolngu. Milingimbi managed a power transition with Djawa , the main person in the Village Council becoming Chairperson of the Community Council. In other places and over time the younger generation, understanding the structure and things like local government elections better seized the opportunities, sidelining the older and culturally powerful. In most societies the young do not always listen. Cultural dislocation and isolation destroyed many of these young leaders.

AARDS to ARDS From advising to listening, learning and education

Over time this advisory service and the role of Community Advisors ceased to be valued, funding was slipping and many changes occurred. In 1980s AARDS changed to a Yolngu (and Bininj only structure including the governing committee and became ARDS. (Aboriginal Resources and Development Services).

There was a fundamental difference between the two organisations. The first advised representing Yolngu perspectives: the latter listened and learnt from Yolngu and then carried information back to them. ARDS is endeavouring to heal the intergenerational gap and link the younger generations back to its legal and economic roots, thus avoiding displacement and dependency. On establishing ARDS, Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra the CEO, sought out his first employee, Richard Trudgen who, inspired by the research of Donald Thompson and his Yolngu teachers first started economic literacy work in 1982.

Coming together: ALPA and ARDS through Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra

While ARDS did receive some funding it ran as a fee for service organisation. In 1984 ARDS commenced Cultural awareness training for non Yolngu people while providing economic literacy to Yolngu. In 1995 ARDS placed a strong focus on Yolngu education for Yolngu. The CEO of ARDS the Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra stated if we do not educate people around health, there will be not be many people left to do legal and economic literacy education with. I am tired of standing beside a newly opened grave day in, day out. In an important joining Djiniyini became the Chairperson of ALPA around the same time. Stuart McMillan a General Manager of ALPA joined ARDS after leaving ALPA. After spending several years working for ARDS and learning Yolngu matha returned to ALPA as an interpreter with full credibility in Yolngu eyes. He with Djiniyini did much to bring together and grow two worlds that ALPA sits in.


Contact History: the Invisible Ships of Law and Economics: using cross cultural law and economics for ALPA

governance

The point of contact history for indigenous peoples often began with the sighting of

ships, big white sails on the horizon. Particularly in the Americas, a story exists of first

peoples not seeing the ships because they were beyond their perceptual framework.

A similar thing happened in Australia. We can understand the convenience of Captain

Cook determining Australia as Terra Nullius an empty land even as the irate owners

were throwing spears at him; but it was our perceptual blindness that prevented

us seeing the legal and economic systems that underpin every society on earth.

Perpetuating our own blindness at our peril

We were really stuck: even after hundreds and thousands of hours by anthropologists,

collecting stories, making maps of tribal boundaries, filming dances and filling museums, not

one person had questioned these extraordinary tribal leaders about the highly sophisticated

systems of law and complex economies of their societies because we did not believe it existed.

Donald Thompson in his book Economic Structures and the Ceremonial Exchange Cycle

in Arnhemland, published in 1949 broke the drought. Richard Trudgen a Community

Development Worker from Ramingining used Thompsons work in the 1980s to start asking

questions from Yolngu. He uncovered a living knowledge treasure that could be used very

successfully to explore and establish shared meaning between traditional and contemporary

business laws and governance. It became a highly empowering process and unlocked

the incredible capacity Yolngu leaders have to offer. Balanda working within the turmoil

of cross cultural sea are still drowning in isolation because they dont know what the life

rafts look like. They go down holding the belief they are right and all others have it wrong.

ALPA: a foundation of Two Bodies of Law and a team that works at walking together

The two laws, mainstream business and the traditional cultural approach, are used by

ALPA, especially with its Board of Directors, which is driven by Rev. Dr. Djiniyini Gondarra,

ALPAs Chairman who runs workshops on Yolngu constitutional law and economics. The

CEO and Accountants as well as other Senior Managers have learnt to slow down and

listen; to proceed slowly and be engaged by the process. This negotiated approach

grows shared meaning and a way of enhancing accountability and eliminating what

appears to be cultural conflicts with business operations. The two compatible bodies

of law support ALPAs operating domain and this is something truly to be cherished.


Section 3 The birth of ALPA on June 20 1972

From the records, it would be fair to say that ALPA was a sickly but determined offspring

from a very big and diverse family who did not always agree: but all held great hopes and

expectations for it. It grew steadily and was known to have an attitude. It always stood its

ground in dealings with ill informed detractors; the just arrived we know betters; and those

prone to run their negativity on it and its church and Yolngu parents.

ALPA was officially incorporated on the 20th of June 1972 under the Association

Incorporations Act (1936) of the Northern Territory of Australia, with its head office situated

at 5 Knuckey Street Darwin. The office was one of a collection of buildings at the rear of the

Methodist church, which in later life became a motorcycle repair shop before being restored

and can now be seen in the Botanical Garden.

At this stage ALPA consisted of the 7 stores on the MOM sites; Croker Island, Goulburn

Island, Milingimbi, Nangalala (later to shift to Ramingining) Elcho, Lake Evella and Yirrkala.

The warehouse became an ALPA activity a little later; Goulburn Island left the group in 1977

and returned as a consultancy store in the early 1980s. Yirrkala departed from ALPA in

January 1983.

The first accountant remembers arriving in Darwin to this dusty humid office that had

louvers and fans. All paperwork needed to be weighted down, but the clincher was the smell

of crocodile skins from the adjoining building that had traded with Yolngu on the missions

and were awaiting sale.

Section 3 The birth of ALPA on June 20 1972

From the records, it would be fair to say that ALPA was a sickly but determined offspring from a very big and diverse family who did not always agree: but all held great hopes and expectations for it. It grew steadily and was known to have an attitude. It always stood its ground in dealings with ill informed detractors; the just arrived we know betters; and those prone to run their negativity on it and its church and Yolngu parents.

ALPA was officially incorporated on the 20th of June 1972 under the Association Incorporations Act (1936) of the Northern Territory of Australia, with its head office situated at 5 Knuckey Street Darwin. The office was one of a collection of buildings at the rear of the Methodist church, which in later life became a motorcycle repair shop before being restored and can now be seen in the Botanical Garden.

At this stage ALPA consisted of the 7 stores on the MOM sites; Croker Island, Goulburn Island, Milingimbi, Nangalala (later to shift to Ramingining) Elcho, Lake Evella and Yirrkala. The warehouse became an ALPA activity a little later; Goulburn Island left the group in 1977 and returned as a consultancy store in the early 1980s. Yirrkala departed from ALPA in January 1983.

The first accountant remembers arriving in Darwin to this dusty humid office that had louvers and fans. All paperwork needed to be weighted down, but the clincher was the smell of crocodile skins from the adjoining building that had traded with Yolngu on the missions and were awaiting sale.


Numbers of indigenous employees In 1978 ALPA had 25 Yolngu employees. Today there are more than 350 at ALPA owned and managed stores.

The Quiet Beginning: debt and the not so quiet Cyclone Tracy

ALPA started with use of a small warehouse in Darwin and the 7 stores of mission communities. None were making any money; mostly small and ill equipped; they were poorly stocked for the growing cash economy and managed by people who had little or no retail experience. Additionally ALPA had the burden of its purchase debt and a short time later the substantial costs of the interactions with Cyclone Tracy.

What changes did Yolngu notice: none really

In doing research for ALPAs 40 year anniversary many community Yolngu were queried about what did they notice about change over from mission stores to ALPA? Most said that in the short term there was little change. Some Yolngu remembered early discussions and in two communities Yolngu remember being lined up to sign on as members. The first change Yolngu remembered was an increase in the range of goods with lots of new foods, cigarettes and previously forbidden things like chewing gum.

No telephones just the once a week radioDavid Harrison the second General Manager of ALPA had come from a Woolworths background and knew the importance of good communications between the team so he arranged for the ALPA managers to have their own time on the church two way radio network.

The radio was the domain of Joyce Deering a missionary from Croker who could kick start a jumbo jet, none of the managers would dare get on her wrong side. During lunchtime once a week the managers would gather on the airwaves, taking turns to place their special needs and to receive instructions. If the weather made reception bad, the Milingimbi manager who had access to a telephone at the Council Office, would collect the messages and relay them. Managers reports of the day reflect their appreciation of these few minutes per week of contact. Telephones for most stores came in the early 1980s, with Gapuwiyak waiting until 1985.

After the Beginning: When did the logo arrive and when did our name change?

Our logo was inspired by the appearance of Halleys Comet in 1986.The comet symbol has become synonymous with ALPA. The colours are symbolic of the comet and our people. The black is the nucleus, the spirit of our indigenous shareholders. The red is the fire, our life force, and the yellow is the light we must show for the future generations. It appears about every 75 years with Yolngu recording its regular appearance in cultural stories and song.

ALPA was incorporated under The Northern Territory of Australia Association Incorporation Ordinance 1963 on 20th June 1972. In 2008, ALPA moved from the NT Association Act to the Federal Corporation (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act (CATSI Act). As a corporation, ALPA defines its own powers, membership eligibility, organisation, voting rights and meeting requirements.


Who were the General Managers of ALPA: (one name for GM EOs and CEOs)

In 40 years ALPA has employed 6 General Managers. Four of the six held other positions with

ALPA prior to taking over the top job, reflecting the importance Yolngu place on mutually

respectful relationships. Alastair King our present CEO, took over from Frank Mannix in

2000. Before him was Stuart McMillan (1988-1992), who took over from John Ford (1978-

1988). David Harrisons reign was 1976 to 1978 and Graham White was the first from 1972

to 1976.







to 1976.







to 1976.


In 40 years ALPA has employed 6 General Managers. Four of the six held other positions with ALPA prior to taking over the top job, reflecting the importance Yolngu place on mutually respectful relationships. Alastair King our present CEO, took over from Frank Mannix in 2000. Before him was Stuart McMillan (1988-1992), who took over from John Ford (1978-1988). David Harrisons reign was 1976 to 1978 and Graham White was the first from 1972 to 1976.


Section 4 ALPA Corporate Activities

ALPAs Health and Nutrition Strategy: guided by 5 key directives:

Improve the health and nutrition of the elderly and children

Assist in the prevention and management of diabetes and heart and kidney disease

Action to break down dependency

Develop a range of Yolngu traditional foods

Create non subsidized employment

In 2006 ALPA employed its first Nutritionist, Adam Barnes. He was exactly the right person for the job, mature, worldly and culturally diverse, but still down to earth with a Nutrition degree, retail experience and food science experience in bakeries. He was also the only candidate to apply for the job. The previous year the Board had elevated the priority of Health and Nutrition with significant budget allocation and had launched the program with long time allies the NT Department of Health and Menzies School of Health and Research. The managers conference the same year rolled out the project and how it would work for the stores.

In 2009 Adam Barnes departed ALPA to work for Menzies (in Thailand could you believe) He handed the Nutrition mantle to Clare Brown a recently graduated Nutritionist who had undertaken project work with Adam. Clare had long connections with ALPA. Back in 1988 she had joined her mother Shirley who provided tuition to a Darwin office Executive Training project for senior Yolngu. Clare attended each of the tuitions sessions, was keen, had started building relationships, but didnt learn much. But to be fair she was only three months old and spent a lot of time sleeping in a woven basket under the desk.

Combi steam ovens: deep fryers consigned to history; 1+1 meals

By 2005, the combi steam oven had been installed in the takeaways, consigning the last of the deep fryers to history. An expanded range included more traditional foods like prawns, oysters and whole reef fish as well as the 1+1s. They are a range of healthy prepared meals, deigned for use in hospitals in different bags, frozen and ready to be dropped into a pot of water heated and served. They enabled stores to get healthy meals out without the time consuming preparation from scratch. In 2005 Milingimbi store started operating ALPAs first bakery. The Yolngu staff were trained by Coles in Palmerston.

When did the Health and Nutrition Policy really start?Concern over the health and wellbeing of members has always been there; in 1976 and carrying a huge debt the mark ups on fruit and vegies remained low. In 1982 the internal freight subsidy on vegies was implemented. In 1989 a project on Croker Island conducted jointly between Menzies and ALPA had delivered outstanding results. Part of the project was Menzies accessing store sales data, with NT Health also as a player. Collaboration has continued since then. The Board also suggested the creation of a Yolngu nutrition worker. This would go on to become the Good Food Person. In 1992 the ALPA Board as Yolngu gender demarcation required, created a Womens Committee. This group along with ALPA staff conducted good food workshops focussed on mothers and babies in the NT and the Kimberleys.


Soft White and healthy: the bread that ALPA developed

Multigrain and wholemeal breads barely sold while white bread sold by the pallet, a reality difficult to change. In 2002 ALPA submitted a project in the Prime Ministers Excellence awards. In conjunction with Darwin Bakery bread was developed with added fibre, folates, niacin, iron and magnesium. This enriched bread sells well in the stores.

In 2008 when published research highlighted the serious problem of lack of iodine in foetal development, the ALPA Nutritionist was able to negotiate with suppliers to add iodised salt (instead of regular salt) to the bread. Initiated by ALPA it is now a national requirement. Iodised salt is a must stock item in the stores.

QUIT smoking Initiative with James Cook University In 2009 another collaborative project with James Cook University, Menzies and NT Health used a culturally appropriate response to tackle tobacco addiction, resulting in a reduction of cigarette sales at Galiwinku. In 2010 the Good Food and Food Safety Checklists were revamped and the subsidies increased to cover the entire range of fruit and vegies, as well as milk, cheese and yoghurt. This year the Food Safety checklist has gone digital and can now be completed on an I-Pad.

Once soft drinks did actually get banned:In the late 1970s an incoming manager after lots of conversations with Yolngu expanded the range to include a small range of soft drinks. The event created great controversy with the remnant mission population that included clinic staff. When confronted the manager advised that he took his direction for range from the local Council. A few days later the clinic staff arrived with a letter signed by the Council advising the withdrawal of soft drink from the range.

What followed was amazing: cans and bottles of soft drink became a fly in black market item. The school had movie nights that sold soft drinks as a fund raiser. Before the frenzy became institutionalized, Councilors approached the manager to drop the ban. The manager ran the letter story which came about 5 minutes later. Next barge the drinks re-appeared. Shortly after the clinic staff arrived demanding an explanation. Again the manager gave the letter story. The next letter never ever came. Yolngu will make collective decisions but prohibition does not work.


Australian Retail Technology: the IT experts at ALPA

Australian Retail Technology (ART) commenced in 2010 and provided a whole of business

retail support system from initial consultation through installation, training, stock file

maintenance and an IT support desk. ART had developed partnerships and became the NT

agent for Worldsmart Retail and Worldsmart Technology and a number of other retail

software and hardware providers. So far it has 41 client stores.

ALPA started to take control of its IT in the early 2000s. Scanning registers had arrived in

1992 and in 1997 the first e-mail system was rolled out. Then there were the dooms day

predictions of the Y2K bug but the introduction of GST really was a drama and forced the

upgrade of a lot of systems.

1981 Pre-priced invoices for food

Pre-priced invoices (on food) started to arrive in 1981. Groceries came from QIW

(Queensland Independent Wholesalers) in Brisbane. For most stores orders were lodged 6

weeks ahead of delivery date, longer for stores with monthly barges when two orders could

be in transit.

Technology Breakthroughs The First PDE 1990

PDE: In 1990 ALPA trialed the use of house brick sized PDE in some of the ALPA stores. The

trial had limited success as the quality of the phone lines made the electronic transmission

of data unreliable. Additional challenges (in those days) including a few mangers who were

serious technophobes and a smaller number who saw little value on stock control.

Still waiting for phone lines: EFTPOS in 1999 and ATMs 5 years later in 2004

As phone lines became available stand alone EPTPOS was installed, with Belyuen heading

the pack in 1999. ALPA installed both EFTPOS and ATM machines as lines became available,

with Ramingining and Milingimbi both getting ATMs installed in 2004.

The early IT help desk: first switch the fax line over to modem

Darwin office by late 2006 was able to support the stores. They used PC Anywhere through

the store modem to log into and to control the stores computer: the manager on the phone

Australian Retail Technology: the IT experts at ALPA

Australian Retail Technology (ART) commenced in 2010 and provided a whole of business retail support system from initial consultation through installation, training, stock file maintenance and an IT support desk. ART had developed partnerships and became the NT agent for Worldsmart Retail and Worldsmart Technology and a number of other retail software and hardware providers. So far it has 41 client stores.

ALPA started to take control of its IT in the early 2000s. Scanning registers had arrived in 1992 and in 1997 the first e-mail system was rolled out. Then there were the dooms day predictions of the Y2K bug but the introduction of GST really was a drama and forced the upgrade of a lot of systems.

1981 Pre-priced invoices for foodPre-priced invoices (on food) started to arrive in 1981. Groceries came from QIW (Queensland Independent Wholesalers) in Brisbane. For most stores orders were lodged 6 weeks ahead of delivery date, longer for stores with monthly barges when two orders could be in transit.

Technology Breakthroughs The First PDE 1990

PDE: In 1990 ALPA trialed the use of house brick sized PDE in some of the ALPA stores. The trial had limited success as the quality of the phone lines made the electronic transmission of data unreliable. Additional challenges (in those days) including a few mangers who were serious technophobes and a smaller number who saw little value on stock control.

Still waiting for phone lines: EFTPOS in 1999 and ATMs 5 years later in 2004

As phone lines became available stand alone EPTPOS was installed, with Belyuen heading the pack in 1999. ALPA installed both EFTPOS and ATM machines as lines became available, with Ramingining and Milingimbi both getting ATMs installed in 2004.

The early IT help desk: first switch the fax line over to modem

Darwin office by late 2006 was able to support the stores. They used PC Anywhere through the store modem to log into and to control the stores computer: the manager on the phone was able to provide information or participate in the induction. The store could not receive faxes at that time because they both used the same line. Stock files and other upgrades came out in the red mail tins.


FOODcard arrives at ALPA in 2007: a voluntary budgeting tool

The idea behind FOODcard came from a group of women at Gapuwiyak in 2005. In essence they advised that the very active Health and Nutrition strategy was of little use if they had no money because they had been humbugged by relatives. The solution developed over a few years was to create a voluntary budgeting tool. People would put money on a card that was linked to the POS system with photo identification of the owner or a nominated relative. Using a touchscreen the person at the register was identified. The card could only be used to purchase healthy foods and other essentials. Other items like cigarettes, toys and full sugar carbonated drinks were blocked by the POS from being deducted from the card. Consultation with local Yolngu decided on the items to be excluded, including full sugar carbonated drinks. It became very popular.

Income Management drafts the FOODcard for the Quarantined portion of benefitsIn 2008 the FOODcard was used as the first income management tool. As a consequence and the need for security it became substantially more sophisticated than originally planned. Satellites allowed the development of Virtual Private Networks to allow for the rapid and secure transfer of Centrelink data. Kiosks were installed to allow cards to be read or uploaded prior to going to the register. When the Basic Card was introduced there was a dramatic reduction in FOODcard users. The women had lost their battle; Basic Card not linked to EFTPOS was reliant on the register operator saying no and with security only as a pin anyone could use the card.

IT diagnostics Are the fans on?

The IT helpdesk received a call one morning. Bleeding extreme frustration the manager explained that the entire POS was down, dead, stuffed and finished! After trying their best diagnostic shots, the novice IT consultant felt the urge to panic, but in a lightbulb moment they asked the manager are the lights and fans working The manager answered with a blunt no, IT replied Im guessing your power is off then.

Australian Retail Consultants (ARC): running other peoples stores in the bush

Australian Retail Consultants commenced operations in 2000. The consulting store arm of ALPA started in 1981 when ALPA took over the operation of Belyuen Store on the Cox Peninsular opposite Darwin. By this time ALPA had developed and refined effective retail systems and procedures. The centralized accounting and operations which recruited and trained managers and regularly monitored store performance had enabled ALPA to trade out of its inception debt of over $1million and was able to begin to accumulate reserves and to do a critical upgrading of facilities.

As one of the clan leaders stated; ALPA is more than a business it is people who have aspirations. ALPA had a strong policy of employing local indigenous people and had already implemented lower mark up on fruit and vegies and meat as well as other essentials. ALPA had a package to offer. After Belyuen, then Umbakumba and Warruwi contracted ALPA to run their stores. By 1984 ALPA had contracted to manage 7 stores in the NT and Western Australia.


Australian Retail Consultants now operate 12 businesses all in the NT. As a Registered Training Organisation it offers nationally accredited retail training, supported by computer, literacy and numeracy training. Australian Retail Technology also offers a total IT installation and support service. Nutritional support is also available for stores and their community residents. Things have moved a long way since ALPA purchased a caravan for the Belyuen manager to live in.

Delissaville Social Club: ALPAs first consulting store

ALPA contracted its first consulting store: Delissaville Social Club (Belyuen). The first job was to buy a caravan for the manager to live in. Some of the residents used the name Singh after the first settlers to the area, two Indian brothers who grew sugarcane.

Umbakumba a consultancy store since 1983Umbakumba Community on Groote became a consulting store in 1983 and remains as a client to this day. ALPAs first job was to build them a new store. This was accomplished quickly as they acquired the same type of building as Ramingining. Umbakumba was never a mission and was established by a trepanger and pearler Fred Gray. In 1838 Fred became the contractor to establish a flying boat refuelling depot for Qantas Empire Airways for flights from Sydney to London. For a short time Umbakumba was known as Princess Elizabeth Bay.

Ajurumu Self Service Store the new name for the former ALPA store at Warruwi (Goulburn Island) also became a consultancy in 1983.

Australian Retail TrainersThe ALPA Aboriginal Store Training School 1981 at Galiwinku

In 1981 Senator Bernie Kilgariff opened the ALPA Aboriginal Store Training School on Elcho Island in February 1981. It was the first of many projects undertaken by John Ford in response to Yolngu aspirations. The training school was a refurbished contractors camp and offered a classroom, live in accommodation and realistic work experience at the Galiwinku Store. Students travelled to Elcho from all over north Australia with the majority coming from other ALPA communities. The ALPA Board of Directors had personally experienced the short comings of travelling to capital cities for training.

Cultural safety and work experienceThe training school first and foremost offered a culturally safe and relevant learning and work environment. The school started with two balanda and three Yolngu trainers. The Yolngu trainers were selected for both their retail experience and their cultural authority.

Courses for stockkeepers, Storepersons as well as supervisors were offered. These courses closely match Certificate 2 and 3 in Retailing and provided sufficient skills to enable a graduate to function effectively as a retail employee.

ALPA initially started with resources produced by the Food Industry Training Institute of Queensland but quickly realized their lack of relevance and started producing their own resources to match the low literacy NESB profile of students.


The termites ate the old school so the Trainer built a new one

By 1983 the ALPA Training School moved to a new building as termites had all but eaten the old one. This new building became a training activity in itself. Richard Frampton the Training Manager of the day and a team of Yolngu with varying degrees of building experience constructed the building, with the exception of plumbing and electricity. One of the really successful training projects was to build tables and checkouts out of form board for both Galiwinku and Gapuwiyak Stores. That sleek black look with natural edges was way ahead of its time.

As the number of graduates increased the need for a centrally located school declined. The school was used for a Trainee Manager program where the students, all employed as Trainee Managers in ALPA stores would come together for theory and other training that was not available in-store.

The Training Centre built by Richard and his team is still functioning as a meeting room often where the ALPA Board meetings are held.

ALPA becomes an RTO

ALPA now has large numbers of Yolngu employees in all of their Arnhemland stores. Training is now conducted on the job, supported by itinerant Yolngu and balanda trainers based at Galiwinku. A Darwin based training division commenced which led to ALPA gaining accreditation for course development. Not long after ALPA became an accredited registered training organisation (RTO) and started to customize and use national recognized courses.

Yolngu qualified in both retail and training and assessment

It has been an aim that has taken 10 years to achieve. Yolngu student workers can now be assessed in their own language. In the three large Arnhemland stores a total of 6 staff gained their Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment (TAE40104) in2011. They already have either Certificate 3 or 4 in Retail and have been working as Supervisors or Section Managers.

Yolngu and their amazing memory: the old ladies and the computer; playing cards and remembering the 15,000 combinations.

Many believed the sky would fall in for Yolngu with the introduction of computer and other technologies. Not so. IT passwords and pins, barcodes and account number could all be well ordered and retrieved. Store workers routinely recall 13 digit bar codes, but the best story was of a couple of older women who had logged on at the Council Office. Only limited by their keyboard dexterity the women scrolled their way through more than 20 bank accounts; recalling account numbers and pins shifting money here and there in a way that would impress both Alan Bond and John Elliot.


Section 5 Major initiatives of ALPANorth Centre West (NCW) An expansion of ALPAs wholesale activities and the two year frenzy.

The warehouse started out as a distribution centre for the missions. From 1976 it acted as a separate entity, developing its profile as a competitive wholesaler to the public and reducing its focus as a buying agent. The turnover of the warehouse grew steadily and developed its role as a buying negotiator for the stores and other customers. Customers came from the top half of Australia as far away as Mornington Island and stores in Western Australia.

Trying to create a buying groupIn 1985 another of the Yolngu dreams embraced by John ford came into existence. North Centre West (NCW) began to operate. ALPA had created a food division by buying out a local wholesaler and now offered a total range of goods. A dramatic increase in sales occurred. The plan was for NCW to become a buying group where shares would be offered to participating customers. After a five year period the shareholders would become equal partners with ALPA. ALPA endeavoured to explain to potential members about the rapid rationalisation that was already occurring interstate dramatically reducing competition in the wholesale market. Within 12 months NCW had captured more than half the top end wholesale market and was attracting attention of manufacturers who wanted their products to be stocked.

Great Sales and serious cash flow problemsALPA was unable to convince independent remote store managers to buy into the group. They were satisfied with the present arrangement and viewed ALPA as scaremongering. At the same time the dramatic increase in sales, now almost double again gave ALPA/NCW serious cash flow problems.

ALPA sells NCWThings came to a head when Southern Farmers sold to Independent grocers ($700 million turnover) and planned a move to the NT. In August 1986 NCW was sold to Independent Grocers. The ALPA accountant heaved a sight of relief as he banked the cheque.

The Traditional Credit Union (TCU)1995 First branch of the Traditional Credit Union Creating History

The single most important decision, with profound implications for ALPA members occurred in 1992, ALPAs 20th year, when the ALPA Board of Directors directed the administration team to facilitate the development of a credit union for remote communities. And so began the birth of Traditional Credit Union. Frank Mannix is remembered by all Yolngu for bringing to fruition this cornerstone of Yolngu wellbeing.

Lack of banking infrastructure causes real problemsThe gradual closure of local bank agencies over the previous 10 years had left community residents seriously disadvantaged by a lack of financial infrastructure. A feast and famine cycle evolved around cheque days, forcing people to fly to Nhulunbuy and Darwin to do their banking.


The 1992-3 AGM reports states As it is impossible to have economic development without financial services, a credit union will allow members to begin solving their economic problems at the local level. It does this by offering banking facilities, mobilising local financial resources and generating local employment. The report went on to explain about the strict legal and regulatory framework which could still be responsive to its Yolngu owners. It spoke of the need for development education of members, the demystification of consumer finance and financial and budgeting skills that would empower members.

Milingimbi opening of TCU December 1994After an extremely challenging process by an amazingly committed group of people both balanda and Yolngu, and their many government an organisational allies TCU was incorporated on the 5th December 1994. The first branch opened at Milingimbi on April 1 1995. One of the elders a Director on both ALPA and TCU Boards advised things never happen quickly, it has been rewarding process that was never easy.

There was an immediate impact on stores sales at Milingimbi, greater foods sales and a spread of sales across the whole fortnightly pay period. The choice-less and highly destructive feast and famine cycle that had so impaired community wellbeing was over.

Retail life before TCU: feast and famine

The doctors and nurses called it the feast and famine cycle which directly impacted on the health of children. Health indicators gradually became worse the longer that bank agencies remained closed. Pay week and hungry week. Store sales spiked dramatically on cheque days. There was pensioners day, UB day and childrens pay day, and if for any reason the plane couldnt land with the mail bag with the cheques there was deep trouble. The wages of workers being paid by ALPA, the Council, School or Resource centre and the odd Art Centre cheque (which was likely to bounce) would moderate highly polarized buying pattern.

Few people had cards, but there were no EFTPOS or ATMs. The Directors introduced a rule that one third of the cheque amount needed be spent. This was to avoid stores running out of cash and to limit family pressure leading to large amounts of cash heading to Darwin leaving behind hungry families.

Getting ready for cheque day Well organised managers would stock their stores to the roof ready for cheque day. Yolngu would steadily build up around the Council office postal agency. Air services mostly arrived around lunch time so after lunch the cheques would get handed out and everyone would head over to the store. There would be unbelievable noise and heaps of kids climbing over everything. With less than standing room, queues would snake down to the back of the store. By 5 to 5.30 pm it would be over, the store completely smashed and the workers would want to have a cup of tea and a quiet smoke before balancing up. With scanning registers still a long way around the corner and back office systems years away, all staff and especially the manager would join in the tally up to find out the sales figures.

Groups of people would be waiting outside, surrounded by their flock of boxes, drums and bags waiting for a ride, while other women walked up the road carrying children and balancing bags of groceries on their heads. Generally next morning the homeland centre people would arrive and trade would decline to basics for the rest of the week.


ALPAs Yolngu Family Enterprise Scheme: 1987- 2000

After discussions over a number of years ALPA started a family enterprise scheme. While there was a progressive increase in employment at the stores, a need was also identified for the development of other goods and services. These would be complimentary to the store, provided by family businesses owned and operated by Yolngu families.

ALPA commenced the Family Enterprise Scheme. The scheme involved lending start up capital for Yolngu family based enterprises, providing relevant retail and other skills training while providing ongoing administrative and accounting support (as required).

The project continued into the mid 1990s. Some examples included a fishing company that sold fresh fish to the community as well as to a second enterprise fish and chip shop, a bus service for Galiwinku and a small barge service for outstations. ALPA training staff were now coaching Yolngu through coxswains certificate as well as normal retail training. Later enterprises included an after hours grocery shop at Galiwinku, several homeland centre shops, a fuel outlet at Gapuwiyak and tucker van at Milingimbi that operated for almost 5 years and a number of coin operated pool tables. In 2000 the Family Enterprise Scheme evolved. While the training and support continued, loans for new businesses ceased.

No Plastic bags

The ALPA Board of Directors in 1992 ratified a no plastic bag policy that had been in practice for several years. Sales of frozen food had risen dramatically raising the possibility of a place for plastic bags. The Board rejected this suggestion on environmental and the highly visible rubbish problems they had observed in other locations. As well as covering the ground getting in waterways they proved ideal for kids to make little parachutes that hung in trees and power lines. NT legislation banning the distribution of plastic bags came in to effect territory wide on 1 September 2011

The paper bag and the crocodile

An ALPA Director of the day explained the value of brown paper bags. In addition to providing a clean surface to make damper in the bush, he recalled fishing one day on the Glyde River. The tide had gone out and while the boat was in the water, the anchor was on the bank. In between was a large crocodile. The solution was to blow up the paper bag that the bait had been in and put it in the water. It floated downstream followed by the crocodile.

More on plastic bags

In 2006 ALPA was announced as the NT winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful Award plastic bag reduction award. Titled Dont choke the turtles or in Yolngu matha Yaka wangu-gulk thurr miyapunymala the award recognized ALPAs commitment to stock only paper bags. Turtles confuse plastic bags with jellyfish one of their food sources and starve as a consequence.


Section 6 ALPA Communities: histories and profiles

Milingimbi Community: An emerald set in a sapphire sea or lots of mud and tamarind trees

Milingimbi was the second choice after mining interests on Elcho forced the mission to relocate to Milingimbi in 1923. Watson had described Milingimbi as the an emerald set in a sapphire sea. To get this perspective it needs to be approached by boat. The green are the tamarind trees, evidence of the long relationship the Macassans had with this island. The sapphire, well that is the colour of the sea coloured by grey mud. Milingimbi is low and flat, 40% larger at low tide with the highest land just 5 meters above sea level. Its early morning and evening sand fly attacks legendary.

Watson starts Milingimbi and leaves 3 years laterRev. James Watson again started the mission but after 3 years, in 1926 aged 60 he retired because of poor health. He was followed by TT Webb who arrived on the Malabar and left on the Larrpan in 1939. The mission luggers were the lifeline to these very remote outposts. On his departure Webb was described as outlasting four luggers the James McBride, the Maree the St Nicholas which was originally Donald Thompsons boat and the present Larrpan.

T.T. Webb an enlightened person of his dayWebb a former blacksmith was a profound thinker of his time; he spoke clearly of the lack of understanding missions and Australian society in general had about indigenous culture. He spoke of;

the unconscious violation of the most sacred and basic principles of Aboriginal life and social organisation. Behind the tragedy lies the almost absolute failure to recognize the fundamental rights of these people as human beings, and the absence of any real attempts to understand their social organisation, spiritual beliefs, tribal laws, and sacred sentiments.

The mission routineA basic settlement and routine mission life was established. The day started with morning prayers at 6 am, followed by a communal breakfast before the kids were sent to school and the adult allocated duties. There were gardens and the men would work with the cattle. Milingimbi would eventually have both a bakery and a dairy. Horticulture took a giant leap forward with the arrival of Fijian missionaries in 1929. In a few years there was an export of produce for sale in Darwin. An early photo of the day shows a small boat overloaded with bags of peanuts making its way out for transhipping to Darwin. The reality that Milingimbi had poor soil and not a lot of water was already being discussed. Elcho was considered a viable option. The idea was shelved as the Great Depression in 1929 the MOM was left too broke to do anything much.

The arrival of the Shepherdsons, peddle radios and a home built aeroplane.Harold and Ella Shepherdson arrived in Darwin in 1928 and caught dengue fever. Fortunately for the missions they promptly recovered. The Shepherdsons would stay in Arnhemland 50 years, moving to Elcho in 1943. Sheppy with an engineering background was a hugely gifted and practical person who could do almost anything. His first job was to re-build the engine of the James McBride so they could travel to Milingimbi.


Shortly after his arrival he upgraded the sawmill. In 1931 on returning from leave he arrived with Traeger pedal radios. On August 7 Milingimbi received its first radio signal and picked out a radio broadcast out of Melbourne. Having learnt Morse code they sent their first telegram through VJY and communication with Darwin and Goulburn Island. Sheppy went on to build a boat the George Urquhart, installed a large water bore at Milingimbi and most famously built his first aeroplane in 1934.

Milingimbi as a RAAF baseMilingimbi became an RAAF air force base during the Second World War. In 1940 tons of steel mesh plant and equipment arrived with the mission getting a contract to build the airstrips. The women and children were evacuated in 1942, with the exception of Ella Shepherdson who lived with Yolngu on the mainland until Sheppy relocated to Elcho. Milingimbi has bombed on May 9 and 10 1943.

Milingimbi gets a new store that keeps on expanding.The existing store was built in 1991. Since then it has more than doubled in size as additional floor and storage space, upgraded cooking and takeaway facilities occurred. The installation of display chillers and freezer with rear forklift access has dramatically improved stock handling and maintenance of the cold chain. Over the years trading hours and range have been extended with all stores now having EFTPOS and ATMs.

Milingimbi Store has 8 employees that have worked more than 5 years. Florence Marraykama the Retail Section Supervisor has been there 28 years. Dora Manganbar the office supervisor has 23 years of service, while Ruth Malingur comes in with 13 years, Ray Wulumarr and Priscilla Gundjakapuy with 6 years. Betty Garangarri, Jocelyn Gayman, Eric Gulurrmiwuy and Roseanne Lewis have 5 years of service each.

ALPA Milingimbi and other Managers EnvyMilingimbi had for many years been viewed as the easy store. Milingimbi had telephone years ahead of other places that were reliant on two way radios. Ramingining and Gapuwiyak managers were especially envious of the barge landing less than 100 meters away, when they had a 54 and 30 kilometre round trip on poor roads. To really rub in the salt Milingimbi store is visible from the Dhabala barge landing that Ramingining uses.

1980: Milingimbi telephone January 1980 Milingimbi store was the first store in the group to get the phone. Store renovations gave the store an office and a security section. There had been a free phone at the Council office since 1972 negotiated as a condition of locating the repeater station of the Darwin to Gove micro link there. It was of course essential for the new mining town of Nhulunbuy to have a world class phone system.

The new Milingimbi toilet In 1980, the same year as the installation of the telephone, the Milingimbi manager installed his own toilet up stairs in the bathroom. For some reason he had got an ultimatum from his wife as the downstairs toilet continual water supply attracted frogs. As endearing as they are, those clammy little suction caps landing in the wrong place at the wrong time was not a PR winner. The icing on the cake was that the frogs in turn attracted snakes.


Milingimbi before the barge: unloading boats in the middle of the night

The Milingimbi plumber and his wife knew about tiredness, but it got to a whole new level once they arrived at Milingimbi. The Betty Joan a boat owned by the Haritos brothers arrived with much needed supplies in the middle of the night and needed to be unloaded on the tide. Drums of flour were passed up one by one out of the hold and loaded onto a steel barge. Once ashore, the goods were then unloaded onto a tractor and trailer which in turn drove up the beach before being unloaded and stacked in the store. The cycle continued until the boat was unloaded. The plumber had to finish in time for the 6am prayers before doing a full days work as a plumber. They remember a Sunday sermon by the Minister based on the sin of working on Sabbath; to unload the stores from the boats.

The BombRobin Ashcroft, the first Darwin Warehouse manager and his wife Lorna, had been called on to do an emergency relief at Nangalala in 1975. Getting there entailed a milk run to Milingimbi on the DC3, a dingy ride to the mainland and 20 kilometers of bumps across the black soil to the store. On the return leg there was time to look over the plane wrecks from the Second World War. The tour came to an abrupt halt when the son of the guide presented them with a live bomb. Ever present Roger Sigston the guide, told his son put that down gently son and come over here. The bomb was later exploded.

Elcho Island (Galiwinku) Is there oil there on Elcho?

Elcho Island became a mission site when Rev JC Jennison landed on May 1 1922. There had been considerable debate between Milingimbi and Elcho as the next mission locality after Goulburn Island was established in 1916. Chance discoveries of asphaltum (an indicator of oil) lead to formation of the Naphtha Petroleum Company Ltd. which took out a mining lease on Elcho Island. Drilling commenced along with a great deal of tension and ill will between the miners and the Yolngu. With the prospect of a white town nearby the mission relocated to Milingimbi in 1923. By 1926 the oil exploration company had gone into receivership.

A second start for Elcho because of WW2Elcho didnt get its next chance until 1943 when Milingimbi became an RAAF base during the war. The risk to a mission there was determined as untenable, so on August 3 1943 Sheppy loaded the Larrapan to the gunnels with the dismantled sawmill and towing a punt with the mission tractor relocated mission assets to Elcho. He then returned to an outstation called Wuralngura on the Wulun River on the mainland to collect wife Ella where she had hidden because of the war. They built the first school in 1949, which by 1970 was catering for 400 students with a population in the community of over a 1000. Yolngu on the mainland were sending their children to Galiwinku to be educated. A homeland movement was established on the mainland, aided by Sheppy and his aeroplanes. Yolngu would make very basic landing strips to allow for fly in visits bringing supplies, trade and medical visits.

Elcho had good water, soil and timber lots of fish tooUnlike Goulburn and Milingimbi Islands, Elcho had good land and plenty of water. The Fijian missionaries along with the Yolngu grew large amounts of produce. Elcho also had a profitable fishing and mud crab industry.


With 6 boats the crews could return after two days with as much as 1500 kilos of fish. Fish and c

alpa 40 years on, our story so far

Documents

alpa group

time alpa

community organisations

community events

years ajurumu

years of experience

yirrkala stores

airconditioned stores