DJAARA, the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation is re-establishing the practice of Djandak Wi (Country Fire) on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, after receiving funding through the Victorian Government’sCultural Fire Grants program.
Dja Dja Wurrung Group Chief Executive Officer Rodney Carter said Cultural fire is a key Cultural practice thatDja Dja Wurrung use to care for Country.
Djandak Wi involves seasonal burning and careful stewardship over a long period of time. Following theprinciple of “Right Fire, Right Time”, small patch burning methods or “cool burns” are carried out at specificplaces and times of the year.
Djandak Wi Practitioners use clues in the landscape to understand where and how to apply fire. Followingburns, practitioners have observed healing changes to Country such as reduction of weeds and re-emergence of native species.
The project includes a series of pilot burns, with partners, to demonstrate how Cultural fire can be used tovimprove different landscapes.
The Cultural Fire Grants program is a Victorian Government initiative that supports Traditional Owners tolead the practice of cultural burning and their unique pathway for creating healthy Country and communities.
Read the full Media Release here
