Daam du ngayin jirrawuny (Me and Country are one)

Dayiwool Ngarranggarni (Barramundi Dreaming) is on the site of the former Argyle Diamond Mine in the East Kimberley of Western Australia. For Gija women and their families, this is a place of deep cultural, spiritual, and environmental importance. It has been changed by colonisation, pastoralism, mining, and the mine’s closure. This story begins with the women and their descendants, who feel the pain of not being able to care for Country as they are meant to. It puts their experiences, knowledge, and responsibilities at the centre of Argyle’s history, as the mine closes and the future of the site remains uncertain. It also looks at how fieldwork and storytelling were carried out during mineral exploration, and how these practices are being used now during mine closure. Comparing these periods helps show whose knowledge and stories were heard, how they shaped decisions about Country, and what has changed over time.