The Tangentyere Women's Family Safety Group

The Tangentyere Women's Family Safety Group Annual Retreat

As part of the three-year “Tangentyere Collective Care project”, EQI has helped facilitate two annual self-and collective-care retreats with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, supported by Ford Foundation and the Northern Territory Government.

WHAT

The retreats, facilitated annually from 2021, are an opportunity for the Tangentyere Women's Family Safety Group to step away from their daily lives and commitments, and come together to dedicate time for self and collective care, strategy, rest, and renewal.

Working to end family violence is challenging and long term, with Aboriginal women in Australia’s Northern Territory among the most victimised in the world.

This year's retreat was held at Kings Canyon Resort, which was very special for several of the group members as they are traditional custodians for that Country. For them, it held particular meaning that the retreat was held On-Country.

Photo of Kitana, Connie, Nolene and Shirleen standing by a road sign which reads 'Kings Canyon Resort 165km'. The sky is bright blue and the earth deep ochre. The women are all moving and laughing. — Kitana, Connie, Nolene, and Shirleen having a quick break on the way out to Kings Canyon Resort.

**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace at Alice Springs Media

The women line up for a smoking ceremony on the second day of the retreat, Helen has her arms outstretched, welcoming the smoke. — The women line up for a smoking ceremony on the second day of the retreat. A smoking ceremony is welcoming, cleansing and protects you out on Country.
**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

WHO

We worked closely with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, and were supported by The Ford Foundation, through the three-year Tangentyere Collective Care project and the Northern Territory Government.

Connie takes a photo of Sarah posing holding a cultural object. They're outside and you can see yellow grass and trees behind them and red earth. — Connie takes a photo of Sarah at the cultural workshop
**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs media

The women sit and watch a film outside that's being projected onto a bedsheet. It's dark and you can see the red sand and the projector setup. — Movie night at Kings Canyon Resort – we just projected onto a bedsheet in the bush.
**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

HOW

This year, sessions included a bush medicine workshop, dot painting, hunting for bush tucker, cultural tours, bush walks and movie nights! We also had opportunities for the younger women in the group to lead and show intergenerational care for the older ladies.

EQI’s role was to organise and facilitate the retreat, which included sessions on self-care, strategic planning, and healing. Each session was designed to play to the individual women's strengths and gave them a chance to showcase their knowledge and skills, and to care for others.

Wooden beads and cultural items lined up on a mat. — The women make jewellery using traditional cultural methods and materials during a cultural workshop.

**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

Kitana sits cross-legged on the ground in front of a range of spices and foraged herbs, with a coolamon balanced on her head. Sarah sits next to her and Marlene is bend over reaching to pick something. There's a traditional shade hut behind them. — Kitana with a coolamon – a traditional vessel for carrying bush foods as well as babies – at the cultural workshop.
**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

WHY

A strong women’s movement depends on the resilience of grassroots feminist leaders, both now and into the future.

Groups need opportunities to foster younger leaders, continue tradition, and to rest, strategise and renew, both as activists and individuals. These retreats provide an opportunity to do this.

For members of the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, their work on the front lines doesn’t end at the end of the working day. Many members themselves have lived experience of family violence, and have connections to, or live in, the communities they support. In addition to this, the members all do vast amounts of unpaid care work for children, grandchildren, and sick relatives. This retreat was a rare break, and an opportunity for them to find strength and healing by connecting to culture and Country.

This retreat is part of a series of initiatives we are working on, piloting new approaches to supporting feminist leaders most affected by gender inequality and violence against women and girls.

Marlene and Helen are sitting outside, hugging and smiling for the camera. You can see red earth, rocks, and yellow grass behind them. Marlene wears a Girls Can Boys Can tee shirt. — Marlene and Helen out at the retreat.
**Photo credit:** Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

Sarah and Cecily smile and pose for a photo, with green leaves of the trees behind them. — Sarah and Cecily at the retreat.
**Photo credit:** Photo by Cheyne Grace, Alice Springs Media

More information

Watch the Tangentyere Women's 2023 Annual Retreat here
Read about the Rante-rante ampe Marle and Urreye! (Safe, Respected and Free from Violence) Projects Evaluation
Learn more about the Tangentyere Family Violence Prevention Program
Read the article Safe, respected and free from violence: preventing violence against women in the Northern Territory, published 3 December 2021 in The Conversation