Kokatha Mula Painting Reclaimed from Department of Aboriginal Affairs, SA — December, 2005.

“We need the government to recognise the fact that they are all our special places, the whole area is special, because within it is our souls, we live with the land, we don’t destroy it.”

— Aunty Sue Coleman-Haseldine

On 18 April, 2005, Kokotha Mula sisters Sue Coleman-Haseldine and Sheena Coleman met with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in Adelaide, S.A. The Department was presented with a gift of traditional artwork, showing the lay of their land and the Rockholes that are sacred and dear to the Kokotha Mula land, people and culture. This Kokotha Mula country is also known as the Yellabinna Regional Reserve, Yumbarra and Pureba conservation parks. This land is North of Ceduna, 800 km West of Adelaide in S.A.

The circles in the painting show the rockholes that had been nominated for ‘wilderness protection,’ making it off-limits to mining and exploration — only three rockholes and a mountain were nominated for protection, however, excluding the rest of the rockholes (which in the last few years have been threatened by extensive exploration and mining).

This painting was given in faith and trust, with the message that only a small number of the Rockholes were looking to be protected and that this was not enough. “The significance of the rockholes are individual, yet interrelated. You can’t have some without the others,” said Aunty Sue.

Following the meeting, there was no response from the Department; no delivery of the promised report. A follow up letter was written (29/5/05) by Aunty Sue and Aunty Sheena, again appealing for the promised report and support in the protection of their land and culture.

There was no response to this letter either.

In October, Premier Mike Rann granted protection of 500,000 ha of the Yellabinna Regional Resereve. Claiming and recognising the land as “unique and precious.” The Kokotha Mula response is that this entire region is Kokotha Mula land and is not for sale — sovereignty was never ceded. Protecting only 500,000 ha of the largest stretch of Mallee in the world is not enough.

On the 1st of December, 2005, Sue Coleman-Haseldine and Sheena Coleman met with Peter Buckskin of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation to discuss the issues facing Kokotha land, people and culture.

The faith and good trust that was put into the Department of Aboriginal Affairs has been broken, and as a result, the painting that was given as a gift, with a story and a message, was taken back, as the Department did not honour their word: to listen to the Aboriginal people and take steps to protect this land.