Didge Group Connection to Culture
Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 9:00AM 
With special guest:
- Stuart McMinn
Our National Close the Gap Day program
Stuart McMinn is working in a program that draws on tens of thousands of years of culture to benefit our youth, in particular our young Indigenous men.
Following on from the vision of local Indigenous man, Uncle Bob Williams from the Mingaletta Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Corporation, Interrelate Central Coast supported the establishment of the Young Boys Didgeridoo and Cultural Group, ‘Didge’, in mid-2011. This new group offered cultural and other supports which had an immediate and significant impact.
As the Community Liaison Officer Worker for Interrelate on the Central Coast Stuart McMinn organises ‘Didge’ where young males can learn how to play the didgeridoo and all young people can participate in storytelling, dance and other performance arts.
The Didge program is aimed at creating a strong and safe pathway into manhood for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander boys by connecting them more closely to culture. It provides mentoring support and instils in the boys a stronger respect and pride in their unique history.
Stuart is a good storyteller himself and in this program he tells us that the didgeridoo is not just a musical instrument in the Aboriginal culture. We talk about the Indigenous languages and discuss how Aboriginal people would be expected to speak at least four local dialects as well as English.
Stuart McMinn’s own heritage comes from the Dharug and Waka Waka people and he gives us an authentic perspective on Australia’s rich cultural history. This is a positive story that you will find uplifting from the opening words until we hear the ethereal voice of Gurrumul in a song chosen by Stuart.
Stuart McMinn
Stuart McMinn is a cultural man whose heritage comes from the Dharug and Waka Waka people. Stuart is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Liaison Officer for the Central Coast region of Interrelate. His work comprises developing and implementing culturally appropriate programs designed to benefit and assist his local community. As part of his role Stuart sits on the NSW Mental Health Executive and Interrelate’s internal Aboriginal Advisory Committee Kutanya.
Song selection by our guest: The Children Came Back by Briggs, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu & Dewayne Everettsmith