Iwatta Initiated Men's Groups learned about Ainiwain/Nganyawana cultural lore and traditions at a three-day cultural camp near Armidale last weekend.
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"Our camps are an authentic cultural experience which aim to create positive change in the lives of the men and young boys who attend," said Nganyawana clansman Les Ahoy JP.
"We provide authentic cultural learnings in a culturally safe environment that assist with the participants social and emotional wellbeing."
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At every camp Elders share their traditional Ainiwain/Nganyawana lore, dreaming stories and cultural knowledge based on their Aboriginal spirituality and cultural experience.
"This camp focused on two aspects of personal development and commitment," Mr Ahoy said.
The group of more than a dozen men made several bark canoes and donated the largest of them to the Aboriginal Cultural Centre as a learning tool for visitors to the centre.
The other task involved participants creating a boomerang, a war club and a pair of clapsticks.
"The message learnt was to 'do it onetime to the best of your ability' and never leave a task unfinished," Mr Ahoy said.
Iwatta Initiated Men's Groups would like to acknowledge Iwatta Aboriginal Corporation and the University of New England, Mr Ahoy said.
"We thank them for their valuable support of what we are trying to achieve in holding these camps to improve the lives and social well being of Aboriginal men and young boys.," he said.
The event follows on from a men's initiation cultural camp held at Mount Duval back in June, the first in more than sixty years.
Initiated Elder Aboriginal men conducted the event for 18 young Aboriginal boys, and it was the first initiation to be held in Anaiwan/Nganyawana country since the 1950s.
"It underpins all aspects of our cultural life including connections to family and community, connections to 'country', cultural practices and traditional and contemporary forms of cultural expression such as Aboriginal language, ceremonies, cultural events, storytelling, dance, music, and art," he said.
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