Country, Culture and Climate: Sharing First Nations Perspectives Through Vogue Australia

We are pleased to share a feature from Vogue Australia exploring First Nations perspectives on the climate crisis.

For Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (MWRC), based in Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley, this is a conversation that resonates deeply with our Community and our work.

Across the Fitzroy Valley, the relationship between people and Country is central to cultural identity, community wellbeing and everyday life. The Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) is much more than a waterway. It is a source of life, culture, knowledge and connection for the people of the Valley.

Climate change is a Community issue

For Aboriginal Communities, the impacts of climate change are not simply environmental. They affect homes, infrastructure, livelihoods, cultural practices and people's ability to live safely on Country.

The devastating floods that swept through the Fitzroy Valley in 2023 demonstrated how vulnerable remote Communities can be to extreme weather events.

Families were displaced, homes and essential infrastructure were damaged, and Communities faced enormous challenges in recovering and rebuilding.

For women, children and families already experiencing housing insecurity, poverty or barriers to essential services, these events can deepen existing inequalities.

The recovery has also demonstrated the strength, resilience and leadership of Aboriginal Communities, and the importance of ensuring local people are central to decisions about rebuilding and future preparedness.

Country, culture and creativity

Through Marnin Studio, our artists have also shared their experiences of the changing landscape and their enduring connection to the Martuwarra.

The collection Martuwarra Mana Yungu (I Want to Go to the River), presented at Country to Couture, reflects the relationship between the women of Marnin Studio and the Fitzroy River.

Developed following the floods, the collection celebrates the plants, animals and landscapes of the Fitzroy Valley, alongside the strength of communities rebuilding and Country healing.

It is an example of how Aboriginal art and design can communicate powerful stories about environmental change, cultural continuity and resilience.

Aboriginal voices must lead the conversation

First Nations peoples hold generations of knowledge about caring for Country, understanding seasonal change and living in relationship with the natural environment.

That knowledge, together with the lived experiences of Communities facing the impacts of climate change today, must be recognised in national conversations about climate adaptation, disaster recovery and environmental protection.

For remote communities such as those across the Fitzroy Valley, meaningful responses require more than recognition. They require investment in safe housing, resilient infrastructure, community-led planning and the long-term capacity of Aboriginal organisations and communities to respond to changing conditions.

They also require governments and decision-makers to listen to Aboriginal people and support the solutions communities are developing themselves.

We welcome opportunities for national publications such as Vogue Australia to bring greater attention to First Nations perspectives on these important issues.

We encourage our community, partners and supporters to explore the feature and reflect on the important role of Aboriginal knowledge, culture and leadership in responding to the climate crisis.

Read the feature: First Nations and the Climate Crisis, Vogue Australia

← Previous Post