The sun rises over the MacDonnell Ranges, painting the ancient landscape in hues of orange and red. This country has held Kristy's people for countless generations, the stories embedded in every ridge and waterhole. As she watches young people from town arrive at Atnarpa Homestead for cultural camps, she sees both disconnection and possibility in their eyes.

These young ones carry complex histories. Many have been labeled "troublemakers" or "at-risk" by systems that fail to see the fullness of who they are. What these systems miss is the profound yearning for belonging that drives so much of their behavior – a hunger to understand their place in a world that has often pushed them to the margins.

Kristy's own journey informs how she approaches this work. She carries the stories of her grandmother, an Alyawarra woman who would place her children in the sun to darken their skin before authorities came, desperately trying to protect them from removal. She holds the memory of her grandfather, himself a stolen generation survivor, who formally married her grandmother despite already being traditionally married, just to prevent their children from being taken.

These stories of resistance and protection aren't simply family history – they're the living context for Oonchiumpa's work with young people today. The legacies of these policies continue to shape families and communities, creating ruptures in the transmission of cultural knowledge and identity that they now work to heal.

At Oonchiumpa, their approach emerges from cultural authority as traditional owners. When young people step onto country with them, they enter a relationship governed by responsibilities that precede any government program or intervention strategy. This relationship creates possibilities that conventional services cannot access – the capacity to speak with cultural authority that young people recognize and respect.

Kristy remembers a young man who joined them for a healing journey to Atnarpa. Initially reluctant and withdrawn, something shifted for him as they shared bush medicine knowledge and stories around the fire. Watching the family at Atnarpa conducting tours for visiting students, he witnessed Aboriginal knowledge being valued and shared. Later, he asked thoughtful questions about his own family connections and how he might learn more about his cultural responsibilities.

This young man has since reconnected with his extended family and now participates in cultural tourism on his own country. The transformation wasn't through a structured program or intervention, but through witnessing cultural pride and possibility – seeing pathways between worlds that he could walk with strength and dignity.

This experience illustrates why Aboriginal-led, culturally grounded approaches are essential. Young people need more than services – they need connection to identity, purpose, and place. They need to see themselves reflected in positive representations of Aboriginal achievement and cultural continuity. They need pathways that honor who they are while creating practical opportunities for where they might go.

The challenges facing these young people cannot be addressed in isolation from broader community healing and empowerment. This is why Oonchiumpa's vision extends beyond youth programs to economic self-determination on traditional lands. At Loves Creek Station, they're working to create sustainable enterprises that honor cultural values while building generational wealth and employment pathways.

Imagine a future where these young people can find meaningful work on country, contributing to enterprises led by their own people, grounded in cultural knowledge while engaging with contemporary opportunities. This vision motivates Kristy and her team to persist despite funding uncertainties and systemic barriers.

The journey ahead isn't simple. They navigate between worlds themselves – maintaining cultural protocols while engaging with government requirements, honoring traditional decision-making while functioning within corporate structures. This complexity isn't a weakness but a strength – it mirrors exactly the skills their young people need to develop.

As the campfire burns low and the young people share stories and laughter, Kristy sees glimpses of the future they're working toward. One where cultural strength provides the foundation for navigating life's challenges. Where young people walk with confidence between worlds because they know who they are and where they belong. Where their community leads its own healing and development, drawing on ancient wisdom to address contemporary challenges.

This vision isn't just for their young people – it's for all of Alice Springs. When Aboriginal young people thrive, connected to culture and community while developing diverse skills, the whole town benefits. This is the future worth fighting for, one campfire conversation, one on-country journey, one young person at a time.

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