Group to Form on Hill of Tara Today

Wongkumarra Solidarity Ireland' Group to Form on Hill of Tara Today

TaraWatch will be joining with other groups and individuals today on the Hill of Tara to form a new Irish-based support group for the Australian indigenous Wongkumarra people, called Wongkumarra Solidarity Ireland.

Wongkumarra elders, Hope Ebsworth and Donnie Dixon, have travelled to Ireland to highlight the plight of his people, who are having their lands mined, without compensation, and sacred sites destroyed.

Today, Hope and Donnie will perform traditional storytelling, called 'dreaming stories' which describe the 'mudda' or spiritual leaders, which are handed down from generation to generation. The stories will be told at the Lia Fail, or Stone of Destiny monument on the Hill of Tara, at 4.00pm, for the summer solstice festival.

The aim of Wongkumarra Solidarity Ireland will be to build Irish and international pressure on the United Nations, the Australian Government and the mining companies to engage with the Wongkumarra, with a view to properly establishing their right to self determination, and improve their living conditions.

An agreed statement will be released at 5.00pm today.

Hope Ebsworth said:

"We had to come out of our own country to save our culture, because we cannot save it staying at home."

"The Government in Australia is not listening to us."

"We are really excited to be here in Ireland, and are very inspired by the support we are receiving here."

ENDS

© Scoop Media