They were proud moments seeing the cousins both graduate from high school. From a Yolngu perspective, Maratja says, we understand what evidence should be. The doctor said I could either cut it off halfway or fuse it. 69. The dancing is something that really struck me. The culture shock is incredible, as you might expect, but the people there are so good and Delwyn and Leon’s family embraced me. I’m interested in film-making, production and directing. The problem is nobody understands that. 52. It’s not an easy thing, weighing up the pros and cons for each club. Yolngu communities have always had small problems but now they are massive. It’s a short-lived part of your life in the end and my other work is going to sustain me. Many don’t have fridges, so you eat a lot of canned food and powdered milk and they make damper a lot. The boys spoke a different language –, I consider them family. There’s not enough exposure for Arnhem Land and it’s only natural that leads to a lack of understanding among Australians. From a young age, they grow up learning this. Rev. Right now I’m training my arse off to put myself in the best position to have a great season. I’ve had it fused several times now because I keep breaking it. What I can say for sure is that I’m 100 per cent at Souths next year. They know it in relation to the correct estates and landowners because all Yolngu know it according to everyone’s relationship with each other. We come from a different perspective and our law is different. I studied film and photography at school and after leaving I started a production course that I’ve had to defer because of football. I’ve learned a lot about life since I moved to Sydney from the country when I was 12 to board at Scots College. The boys and their families call me wawa, which means brother. We know the names of all the corporate clans and who belongs to each family group and all the associated ‘ringgitj’, alliances. From a Yolngu perspective, they should have security of tenure over their lands and estates. Like any player, I have ambitions to win a premiership and play State of Origin and Test football. Dr Djiniyini Gondarra and Richard start a conversation about how Yolngu artists and craft workers can get more income for their work. Balanda think that only their law is important. I consider them family. Elcho Island has hosted more than four funerals in the past month, with some lasting up to two weeks. 3 Richard and Maratja talk about the Yolngu word ‘mägaya’, meaning peace, tranquillity, harmony, completeness, health, prosperity, fullness, perfectness, rest, safety and absence of agitation or trouble; true protection for all. When the court looks at that they can see that law comes from the land. They explain these are not government companies (many Yolngu believe that most large Balanda companies are government owned) but are private companies owned by private people. When I went up to Arnhem Land this year, I bought a new camera and filmed a heap of content. I haven’t put a time frame on this. Your grandparents could be on one side of your house and an aunt or uncle and some cousins on the other side. After they get to know people they’re confident in talking to them. Djiniyini Gondarra and Richard Trudgen discuss the taxation basics that underpin starting a new Yolngu business, Podcast 72. Copyright Ⓒ Why Warriors Pty Ltd, All Rights Reserved. But there are other things that are very important to me as well. The example of international Macassan trade is used. It’s very family-based like that. Our law doesn’t change!!! Richard and Djiniyini discuss large Balanda companies and how they operate. Starting a new Yolngu business - start small, 66. I’ve been up to Arnhem Land twice with the boys in the last two off-seasons. I was two or three years older than Delwyn and Leon and I could see they needed real assistance coming to grips with this massive change in their life. If that’s all I’m remembered for, I will have failed and not used my time o Delwyn aims to become a police officer in Darwin and Leon has a plumbing apprenticeship waiting for him in Sydney next year. We each got out of our cars and he asked me if I’d stuck my finger up at him. You get the fans, you get the club, you get the players, but at the end of the day you’ve got to trust yourself and your own instincts and I’m not ready to make that decision yet. For a long time Balanda have been saying, “you do, and we will decide for you,” says Maratja. For us, Yolngu law overrides everything, it dictates and speaks to us, instructing us. And it should be the same as Balanda law, says Richard, a law that speaks to us all, not individuals. Maratja agrees, saying it’s because when it comes to dialogue between Yolngu and Balanda, everything goes in line with Balanda law, and they take over too much. Sign up to the AthletesVoice newsletter to get the latest stories.