Growing Aboriginal Food Communities, by and for Aboriginal People.
A Sovereign,
Grassroots Vision
Yuruwan is a not-for-profit organisation run by First Nations people, that has been established to support the significant need for culturally-centred, self-determined, and grass roots food initiatives for our people and communities in urban areas across Australia.
By supporting the revitalisation and strengthening of our cultural food knowledges, systems and practices through learning and sharing initiatives, we are building our collective capacity to address the severe inequalities in our food security, health and well-being, as well as access to economic and other opportunities.
Importantly, we are also creating space for our cultures to grow and continue through our foods and medicines, and to connect and care for people and Country—as we have, and always will, on unceded sovereign land.
Culturally-Centred,
Country-Based Learning
Our work addresses the limited opportunities for First Nations people to learn about small scale, urban food growing and food systems in a way that is culturally meaningful, safe and relevant. Currently, most learning opportunities are designed by non-Indigenous people and contexts, or relate to larger scale initiatives in remote environments.
We put culture, and cultural ways of being and doing at the centre of learning, so that our people and communities can stand in their own power, belonging and meaning-making, towards a more relevant and culturally generative and sustainable engagement with food growing in urban environments.
Regardless of the concrete, footpaths and buildings, urban areas are still Country, and are important sites of Country-based learning and understanding. We honour Traditional Owners ongoing and unbroken connection to Country, and work closely with local communities on projects and initiatives.
Growing Food Communities
We work relationally, growing respectful, reciprocal and sustainable food communities. Our food systems have always been based on interconnected relationships—with both people and Country, and we centre this in our work. Through supporting a broader network of people, organisations and communities that are working in the food-growing space, we can share knowledges, resources and build community resilience into the future.
Our Services
We work with First Nations communities, organisations and businesses to support and deliver urban-based food growing projects and initiatives.
To fund our work with community, we provide the following fee-for-service:
Consultation
Workshops
Cultural capability training
Research & development
Project design
Research and Publications
We look to address the current lack of research and mainstream understanding about the way First Nations people in Australia continue culture through food growing in urban environments. We look to bring awareness by generating and supporting research, publications and other resources that furthers development and self-determination within this space.
Connect with us
Everything in a relational system needs connection to grow. We are always looking for individuals and organisations that would like to work with us to make future urban food and medicine growing initiatives, by and for our people and communities, possible.
So let’s yarn :)
Please use the form below to get in touch.