Tha' Pemp Wuut Mangkantam

Imagine if you had never been home. Sadly, many Cape York children have no connection to Country. Their heritage has been denied. And without access to their past, they naturally struggle to find a future.

But we can all change that.

The journey home isn’t easy. Their homelands are remote and separated by a mighty river. The location lacks internet, food, fuel, power or even running water.

But it is home, and these children need to experience it. They need to sit around a fire at night hearing the ancient stories, learning about their history and connecting to their homelands. This will help them connect with themselves.

In September this year APN Cape York (a registered charity entirely owned by Traditional Owners of the Southern Wik Homelands) will return between 20 to 30 6th graders to these homelands for a four day experience that will help define their future.

Woyan Min is Wik Mungkan for “The Right Path”. Woyan Min is APN Cape York’s division devoted to re-connecting Aurukun’s young people. As part of Woyan Min The Returning Generation Project targets 6th graders. APN Cape York’s Woyan Min division also works to re-engage 16 to 24 year olds.

The “Returning Generation” Program will connect these children with ‘The Right Path’. As Wik Mungken is their first language, the program will be called “Tha’ Pemp Wuut Mangkantam” – “Our Ancestral Footprints”

This year, the 2016 ‘Returning Generation’ Project will be an intense and immersive experience. It will be based at the beautiful Blue Lagoon Outstation which was saved from bushfire and restored by APN Cape York in 2015.

The children will be joined by Wik elders and their school teachers. They will be engaged in exploring the flora and fauna of the area and learning how past generations have flourished. This will help them flourish in the future.

The Right Path for these kids begins at home.

Please help us get them there, for the first time in their lives.