Episode:23Country is crying out for good people
Guests:Richard Swain, Dabee man of the Wiradjuri nation and river adventure guide
A Dabee man of the Wiradjuri nation, river guide, and Invasive Species Council ambassador, Richard Swain speaks from deep personal and cultural knowledge about what it means to care for Country. Ranging across advocacy, feral animal impacts, and the cultural divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, this is a hard-hitting conversation that challenges and provokes, all in service of a shared lore of restoration.
Show Notes
Content Warning: This conversation includes a description of a massacre of Aboriginal people from 17:00 – 17:26 that may be of concern for some listeners.
In today’s episode, Siwan talks with Richard Swain, a Dabee man of the Wiradjuri nation and a river adventure guide (Alpine River Adventures) in the Snowy Mountains, in Kozciuszko National Park. Richard grew up learning the history of the Australian landscape from his father, and his grandfather taught him how Aboriginal peoples moved through and respected country. Richard has a long history of volunteering on local environmental and community projects and has a first-hand understanding of the huge impact feral animals have on Australia’s natural environment. Richard is an ambassador for the Invasive Species Council, helping to raise the profile of the role of Indigenous peoples in caring for Country and protecting it from invasive species. His life is now dedicated to protecting the environment from the impacts of modern society.
This conversation covers a wide range of topics, ranging from Richard’s experience with advocacy, the problem with the culture of modern Australia, and how Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can move forward together towards a lore of restoration — as Richard puts it, “Country is crying out for good people”. It’s a hard-hitting conversation at points, but one which provokes us and challenges us to improve, for the sake of Country and for ourselves.
“Story has been lost... in people... because people were stolen from Country, and taken and massacred… But Country still holds the story, and any person who wants to form a connection can get that story from Country.” — Richard Swain
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