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‘Bird People’ The The ‘Bird People’ Chairman Traitor Germany 1945 Australia iste 3 Wie i bane We at brow we tnene t least 20 Aboriginal people living 18 months trying to raise funds for a pro- 4 A ontop of the world’s largest manga- gramme to deal withtheproblem. The Angu- | 2&4 g Wi ars § nese deposit on Groote Island in the rugu community is prepared to pay for half f } Gulf of Carpentaria have been diagnosed as the cost of the programme, but Dr Florence ee an having ‘manganese madness’ (locura man- says BHP have been less co-operative. e142. ganica). “T think BHP should put some money Nine Aboriginal elders announced last People at the Angurugu Aboriginal into the programme,” he said. “their own spring equinox that the powerful chairman of community (population around 1,000) have workers are already demanding danger the Northem Land Council, Mr Galarrwuy high levels of manganese in their blood and money because of our research.” Yunupingu, is a traitor to his people. Mr many locals have less advanced motor neu- Dr Robert Hart, from the OHSU in Yunupingu broke an agreement not to com- ron diseases that impair mental ment on highly confidential pro- ceedings about serious allega- tions that he’d broken Aboriginal law, for which he is facing the death penalty. The agreement was acompro- mise between the chairman and dozens of Aboriginal elders, fol- lowing a meeting in Katherine discussing allegations that Mr Yunupingu had displayed sacred, secret and dangerous material at the Barunga Festival in June. A white adviser to the land council in Darwin released a media state- ment claiming Mr Yunupingu had been exonerated by the elders. Aboriginal elders present at the meeting have since denied the meeting exonerated him. The allegations against Mr Yunupingu concem the perform- ance of sacred dances at Barunga, and the presentation to the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, of a secret bark painting. The dances con- cemed are either restricted to cer- tain clans, prohibited to be watched by women or not to be i functioning and lead to paralysis, | according to Professor John | Cawte from the school of clinical psychiatry at Sydney's Prince mea Henry Hospital. He says scientists working in Sydney and on the island have established that high manganese levels are definitely tesponsible. Heaps of crushed manganese ore border the town and each day hundreds of tonnes of dust spew into the air, leaving a black film of manganese oxide which must be scraped from everything - includ- ing food and skin. A diet of local food gives a daily manganese in- take of 100-200mg; 50 to 100 times greater than the world aver- age. The Angurugu River, the community’s water supply, flows across an exposed bed of manga- nese ore. Children used large tail- ings piles as slippery-dips. Workers at the nearby Gemco (a BHP subsidiary) manganese mine are claiming they and their families are also potential vic- tims. A report by Dr Yossi Berger of the Oc- BHP’s mining division, says the main cause witnessed by white men. The bark painting cupational Health and Safety Unit (OHSU) is the ‘bush tucker’ diet of local Aborigines was from Ngukurr people from the Katherine of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and that “we don’t see that the mining opera- area and symbolised the link between the pointed to major manganese dust problems at tion has really had any significant input into Aborigines and their ties with the land. The the mine. this.” But a recent report by the ACTU and elders’ comments were made to the Senate Similar to Parkinson’s Disease, this Victorian Trades Hall Council said manga- , Select Committee inquiring into the Aborigi- syndrome leads to deterioration of motor nese dust at Gemco’s mining operations | nal and Torres Strait Islanders Commission. neurons and destruction of the cerebellum, “must never be treated as harmless.” It said “T use the word traitor. He walked out of causing symptoms including an odd, bird- high dust levels on the island posed a signifi- that room and two hours later he was on the like gait, unsteadiness, poor coordination, cant health problem and contro] and manage- phone to his mob,” Bunug, an elder from paralysed eye muscles, hand tremors and ment standards seemed extremely low. In Goulburn Island in Arnhem Land, told the muscle twitching. It also causes uncontrol- September the ‘big Australian’ finally committee. The very next day it appeared on lable excitement which can lead to compul- agreed to set up a research programme. the news which hurt our people.” sive behaviour and violence. Locals describe No cases of manganese poisoning were “A good Westem comparison of sufferers as “the bird people”. reported before the community moved from Galarrwuy’s offence would be a mixture of BHP’s denials and stalling tactics have the Emerald River, 30km to the north, at the heresy in the 14th century and trading atomic slowed scientific study of the problem. Dr request of the RAAF in WWII * secrets in the 20th century,” said leading Mark Florence, head of the CSIRO’s centre Darwin anthropologist Mr Arthur Palmer * for advanced analytical chemistry, has spent | - Land Rights News, Weekend Australian The Australian NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 37 =-=-=-— _ = - —- ee | Germany 1965 t least 20 Aboriginal people living 18 months trying to raise funds for a pro- A ontop of the world’s largest manga- gramme to deal with the problem. The Angu- nese deposit on Groote Island in the rugu community is prepared to pay for half Gulf of Carpentaria have been diagnosed as the cost of the programme, but Dr Florence having ‘manganese madness’ (locura man- says BHP have been less co-operative. a ganica). “T think BHP should put some money Nine Aboriginal elders announced last People at the Angurugu Aboriginal into the programme,” he said. “their own spring equinox that the powerful chairman of community (population around 1,000) have workers are already demanding danger the Northem Land Council, Mr Galarrwuy high levels of manganese in their blood and money because of our research.” Yunupingu, is a traitor to his people. Mr many locals have less advanced motor neu- Dr Robert Hart, from the OHSU in Yunupingu broke an agreement not to com- ron diseases that impair mental ment on highly confidential pro- ceedings about serious allega- tions that he’d broken Aboriginal law, for which he is facing the death penalty. The agreement was acompro- mise between the chairman and dozens of Aboriginal elders, fol- functioning and lead to paralysis, | according to Professor John | Cawte from the school of clinical psychiatry at Sydney's Prince mea Henry Hospital. He says scientists working in Sydney and on the island have established that high manganese levels are definitely lowing a meeting in Katherine tesponsible. ay K * Ste Oa 5 * Pad > discussing allegations that Mr Heaps of crushed manganese o ‘a. >» n ‘S$ 2 Lo Ki \ 1" Yunupingu had displayed sacred, —— oy =mee o==se ore border the town and each day secret and dangerous material at hundreds of tonnes of dust spew 4 — . the Barunga Festival in June. A into the air, leaving a black film of ¥ white adviser to the land council manganese oxide which must be in Darwin released a media state- scraped from everything - includ- ment claiming Mr Yunupingu had ing food and skin. A diet of local been exonerated by the elders. food gives a daily manganese in- Aboriginal elders present at take of 100-200mg; 50 to 100 the meeting have since denied the times greater than the world aver- meeting exonerated him. age. The Angurugu River, the The allegations against Mr community’s water supply, flows Yunupingu concem the perform- across an exposed bed of manga- ance of sacred dances at Barunga, nese ore. Children used large tail- and the presentation to the Prime ings piles as slippery-dips. Minister, Mr Hawke, of a secret Workers at the nearby Gemco bark painting. The dances con- (a BHP subsidiary) manganese cemed are either restricted to cer- mine are claiming they and their tain clans, prohibited to be families are also potential vic- watched by women or not to be tims. A report by Dr Yossi Berger of the Oc- BHP’s mining division, says the main cause witnessed by white men. The bark painting cupational Health and Safety Unit (OHSU) is the ‘bush tucker’ diet of local Aborigines was from Ngukurr people from the Katherine of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and that “we don’t see that the mining opera- area and symbolised the link between the pointed to major manganese dust problems at tion has really had any significant input into Aborigines and their ties with the land. The the mine. this.” But a recent report by the ACTU and elders’ comments were made to the Senate Similar to Parkinson’s Disease, this Victorian Trades Hall Council said manga- , Select Committee inquiring into the Aborigi- syndrome leads to deterioration of motor nese dust at Gemco’s mining operations | nal and Torres Strait Islanders Commission. neurons and destruction of the cerebellum, “must never be treated as harmless.” It said “T use the word traitor. He walked out of causing symptoms including an odd, bird- high dust levels on the island posed a signifi- that room and two hours later he was on the like gait, unsteadiness, poor coordination, cant health problem and contro] and manage- phone to his mob,” Bunug, an elder from paralysed eye muscles, hand tremors and ment standards seemed extremely low. In Goulburn Island in Arnhem Land, told the muscle twitching. It also causes uncontrol- September the ‘big Australian’ finally committee. The very next day it appeared on lable excitement which can lead to compul- agreed to set up a research programme. the news which hurt our people.” sive behaviour and violence. Locals describe No cases of manganese poisoning were “A good Westem comparison of sufferers as “the bird people”. reported before the community moved from Galarrwuy’s offence would be a mixture of BHP’s denials and stalling tactics have the Emerald River, 30km to the north, at the heresy in the 14th century and trading atomic slowed scientific study of the problem. Dr request of the RAAF in WWII * secrets in the 20th century,” said leading Mark Florence, head of the CSIRO’s centre Darwin anthropologist Mr Arthur Palmer * for advanced analytical chemistry, has spent | ~ Land Rights News, Weekend Australian The Australian NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 19 7, Tribal Elders Call Chairman Traitor