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Article: Vast reserve gives Aborigines traditional lifestyle option.(Environment)
- Article from:
- Manila Bulletin
- Article date:
- September 30, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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KABULWARNAMYO, September 30, 2009 (AFP) - In the heart of a massive new nature reserve in Australia's far north, Aboriginal elder Dean Yibarbuk gazes reverentially at Dreamtime rock paintings created by his ancestors."This isn't just land to us," the dreadlocked indigenous leader says. "It's part of our spirit."Yibarbuk's people in Arnhem Land, east of Darwin, are part of a government program that aims to ease the poverty and poor health blighting many indigenous communities by rekindling Aborigines' ancient connection to the land.Under the scheme, the government last week created two adjoining nature reserves covering almost 20,500 square kilometers (7,900 square miles) ...