Data as a tool for truth, healing and self-determination

Mornington Island State School Dance Group performing at the JKG Summit event, 2025

Jika Kangka Gununamanda (JKG) means 'plenty talk Mornington Island people', and the Lardil, Kaiadilt, and Yankaal peoples are making sure Community voices are heard.

Nestled in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland, Mornington Island residents are driving positive change through JKG, who support the engagement and community leadership from all family and language groups. JKG also coordinates and manages the Thaldii Karrwa (stand up, strong) justice reinvestment initiative, bringing together stakeholders and ensuring Community is in the driver’s seat.

Community-led

Community-led means everyone has a say, is heard and understood, from family-to-family conversations, youth-to-youth, women-to-women, men-to-men, reinforcing Cultural protocols and respecting local ways of working.

Three advisory groups: Thawathu Men's, Warilda Yibibi / Kajbaal Women's and Junka Ngaluda Youth work on initiatives and input relevant to their group, shaping and defining their priorities. Within each of the three advisory groups are two representatives for portfolios of Health, Culture, Justice and Employment Education & Training. They meet with key services and stakeholders, keep their advisory group up-to-date and loop back feedback.

Those 24 people with portfolios form the Thaldii Karrwa Leadership Group, which oversee the Thadlii Karrwa initiative. There is also the JKG Board with membership of the local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in the Mornington Island Community.

The river….

Jika Kangka Gununamanda and Thaldii Karrwa governance groups are working with Kowa, identifying key outcomes and objectives of their work, and how to best measure impact. The project is following the course of the river, beginning upstream with deep listening and gathering, and flowing downstream into doing, sense-making and reflection.

Each rock represents a steady resting place of learning pools and flows onward. Along the banks, reeds and flowers show renewal, adaptability, and growth, the life that emerges when practice is nourished through collaboration.

The old tree stump reminds us that everything new grows from something deeply rooted, long-standing wisdom and the Cultural foundations that hold this work steady.

The journey is cyclical, not linear. As the waters return, they carry new insights and strength back to Community, continuing the flow of learning and self-determination. This co-partnership emphasises relational approaches that stay with and respect ‘the pace of Community’ and local protocols and being flexible to Community needs.

“The process contributes to genuine Community leadership from the grassroots, from across our clan groups and families. It provides information flow back to the Community about where things are up to and how this builds on previous work. It helps to build knowledge and show progress or change based on the contributions of the Community. This builds the movement and genuine involvement of our people in the work.” JKG Executive Officer Melanie AhKit

By us, for us

Jika Kangka Gununamanda is measuring and showcasing success to influence and advocate for improved services and responses to better meet the Community needs and align with the Community’s self-determined aspirations.

“These Cultural ways make us stronger, and we know that our Community feels safe and respected, engaging in this way. The work is done by us, for us. This contributes to self-determination in that Community members see our own people leading this work at each stage. It makes us feel stronger seeing that we are leading this work, not outside people. It is our Community leading, from deciding what needs to be done, to how the yarning is done and concepts explained, to interpreting and using the information, and how it is shared back. It means the story comes from the heart. It is part of truth-telling. Our lived experience is centred in all steps.” - JKG Executive Officer

The data story

Community are strengthening their knowledge around Indigenous Data rights and how to measure change that is meaningful to community. The Thaldii Karrwa governance groups want the right stories to be told by the right people, in the right way for the Mornington Island Community, (the data story).

“Data is more than information – it’s our story, our truth, and our responsibility. We collect and share it the right way – through trust, permission and respect.” Women’s Advisory Group

“We’ve got good ideas, and we want to be heard. We just need a safe space to share it. We’re ready to step up and to the work for our community.”
Youth Advisory Group.

“We want to keep our story in our hands. Data is part of our truth, our story, our knowledge, our way.”
Men’s Advisory Group