To date our projects have focused on facilitating cultural learning and documentation opportunities. This has been in response to Gija Elder’s sense of urgency about the need to engage younger people in the transmission of cultural knowledge and promote positive activities and choices for young people.

GROUND UP WOULD LIKE TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS SO FAR! These projects would not happen without your support!

Gija Dictionary (2019- 2022) - The first Gija dictionary has been released, you can buy your copy here: https://shop.aiatsis.gov.au/products/gija-dictionary

World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (2022) - Support for Gija teachers in the east Kimberley to travel to and attend the WIPCE conference (see photos in gallery section).

Deadly Connections (2020-2021) - ‘Deadly Jargums’ project in Sydney, N.S.W. - An early intervention/prevention program targeted towards Aboriginal children (7-12) prioritising those with child protection and/or justice involved family to provide purpose drive after school activities to strengthen connection to culture and encourage school attendance/engagement.

Echo Cultural Tours (2019-2020) - Further development of a Gija Tourism Business to be run from the Warmun community in WA. This included funding the purchase of first aid equipment, satellite phone, brochures, membership fees for tourist associations, training, insurance, and accountancy fees.

Purnululu School (2019-2020) - Funded Aboriginal teachers from Purnululu School, at Frog Hollowcommunity in WA, to attend a conference. Unfortunately the conference was cancelled due to Covid 19.

Jiylinum Aboriginal Corporation (2018-2019) – Jiylinum,  is located in NT, on the Victoria Highway, next to Keep River National Park and 38kms from the town of Kununurra. Jiylinum Aboriginal Corporation was established to hold Jiylinum as a community living area on behalf of its members. Building on the skills of its members, Jiylinum Aboriginal Corporation fosters social enterprise in art, cultural leadership and tourism. Our social enterprise activities build greater financial autonomy in order to independently maintain our own community and strengthen our cultural practices and way of life.

This project will improve the working and living conditions of Jiylinum Aboriginal Corporation by building much needed infrastructure including two residential dwellings with painting studios, and two visitor’s cabins. This will increase current levels of productivity and emotional, social and physical well being, while also enabling the progressive, longer term development of a three-pronged approach to social enterprise that will support financial independence for the community and long term sustainability via (i) rent, (ii) cultural tourism, (iii) Aboriginal youth cultural and artistic mentoring programs (September 2018).

Gija Language coordinator (January 2018–29th June 2018 ) – working with Gija Elders and Aboriginal Teaching Assistants to teach Gija to all ages at Ngalangangpum School, Warmun, Kimberley, WA.

Gija Language and Literacy Teaching Program (August 2016–January 2017) – This crucially important weekly language teaching and maintenance program enables Gija Elders to pass their knowledge of Gija language and culture to their family and community members. Many important people in the community who hold Gija cultural knowledge are elderly and there is an urgency for this knowledge to be passed on. There is currently very limited support for language programs such as this in the region and we hope that the program that is funded by this campaign will help to establish a more permanent funding source for similar programs into the future. The program is held at Ngalangangpum School, Purnululu School, Wanyanyakem Taam Early Learning Centre and Warmun Aged Care.

Gija Website (2017) www.jarraggirrem.org – This is a website that has been set up to record and collate Gija teachings, videos, resources, and knowledge.

Gija Language and literacy Teaching Program (July 2015–July 2016) – The program was held at the Warmun Art Centre and out on bush trips.
WATCH 'You gotta keep-em cause he's got culture in it' VIDEO HERE!

Mowanjum Art & Culture Centre (October 2015)

Aboriginal Tourist Guides Project (2015) – Seed funding to develop a project & website that could be used nationally, to promote Aboriginal tourist/guides businesses and to set up guides project in two communities.

Echo Cultural Tours (2015- ongoing) – This project was initiated and run by Johnny Echo, a Gija Elder & stockman from Warmun community. Johnny’s aim is to teach young people to break in and ride brumbies, horse skills, fencing skills, stockman skills; and to work collaboratively with the school. Johnny works with kids at risk. Ground Up has funded a car, a shed and supplies. The shed is to store saddles, & horse equipment . Johnny also aims to have seating for tourists at the shed, for yarning and sharing stories over a cup of tea and damper.

Gija Language and literacy Teaching Program (2014–2015) – Gija is classified as a critically endangered language as its only fluent speakers are the community’s grandparents and great-grandparents. This program brings together senior Gija language experts with children, teenagers and adults in a regular, intensive program of speaking and writing. Weekly lessons form the nucleus of a community wide effort in Warmun to document, maintain and revitalise Gija language. This is achieved by supporting and valuing the expertise of older people, and building the confidence and linguistic skills of younger generations.
The activities included:
* Weekly intensive Gija language speaking and writing activities led by Elders for children, teenagers and adults.
* Trips to country that enable senior speakers to pass on Gija song, story and oral language practices.
* The collaborative development of culturally appropriate language teaching and maintenance methods and techniques.
* The creation of language teaching resources using video and new media.

GELENGU DU GELENGUWURRU – ‘Gelengu du Gelenguwurru – Old and New, Young and Old’ involved elders, adults, teenagers and children from Warmun Community. The program supported the community to reconnect with, and employ Gija cultural knowledge and therapeutic approaches that work towards strengthening the physical and mental health and wellbeing of Gija people of all ages.

The project facilitated powerful intergenerational collaboration and sharing, marrying new technologies with traditional Gija knowledge systems. The activities included:

* Bush trips – family groups returning to country

* Elders planning and leading cultural teaching activities with younger generations involving healing, art, song and dance, bush food and Gija language and thought

* Young people videoing Elders in country sharing knowledge of stories, history connected to place

* Young people making and broadcasting short films and radio programs in language

* Young people accessing training opportunities in multimedia within and outside their community

* Elders leading language lessons with children at the Ngalangangpum and Purnululu community schools