ARNHEM LAND

My name is Shauny Edwards. I am a Larrakia man from the saltwater shores of the Northern Territory. Earlier this year I founded a social enterprise during the trying times of COVID and awakening of social reforms around the world. House of Darwin is a 100% Indigenous owned Social enterprise where all of the funds raised are used for social programs in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. This is a photo journal from our recent trip into Arnhem Land.

Arnhem Land is portal into another time, another place. It’s an area that spreads across the northeast corner of the Northern Territory. It’s a place where few have travelled, few have access to and where the local people have pet crocodiles. It’s monsoonal weather creates a tidal barrier for half of the year when the rain causes all of the rivers to rise and block road access.

I travelled over 3000km’s on dirt roads through mining towns, creek beds, beach roads and dirt highways in order to deliver the goods. We loaded up my 1993 Land Cruiser “Olive” and hit the Arnhem highway, a dirt road that provides access to the magical place. With $20,000 worth of sporting equipment to deliver to these remote Indigenous communities, we were motivated knowing we may just inspire the next Australian sports champion.

Sport has the power to break down barriers. It’s a universal language which transcends through geographies, ideologies and cultures. In these remote regions, sport is a vehicle of opportunity in between the “two worlds” or the Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people who now live in unison in these parts. The habitual nature and structure of sport provides a platform of discipline and positivity that will permeate the rest of your life. The doorways it opens for people from all walks of life to excel in are unparalleled in many other fields.

We left Arnhem Land more inspired than ever. The smiles on the kids faces is something I’ll never forget and with the current global circumstances I encourage readers to intellectually, and when it’s safe, physically check out our own backyard here in Australia to learn and explore the rich 60,000 year old history we have at our doorstep.