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By Gapany, Mary Ŋandama & Margaret Miller

In November 2011, the first CSIS East Arnhem meeting was planned 'by Yolŋu, for Yolŋu', to connect the Scripture workers in Yirrkala and Galiwin'ku.  Nyäluŋ invited several of the experienced  translators from Galiwin'ku to visit her at Yirrkala. 

Nyäluŋ is now translating in two languages and is seeking help and advice on how to proceed.  Ŋändama, Gapany, Maratja, Yurranydjil and Djawuṯ visited Nyäluŋ and Mayalil with others over the weekend and spent time with them and their families. Nyäluŋ asked for continued assistance from Galiwin'ku to visit her throughout the year to encourage her in her work. 

Ŋändama reports, "Nyäluŋ was pleased her visitors came to visit her at Yirrkala, and that they were able to have a good talk about what is needed to sustain the Scripture work at Yirrkala."  Gapany has listed here some of the issues that were covered over the weekend: 

• To have Scripture–related and Music workshops for East Arnhem people to be held in the East Arnhem area.
• The need for regular CSIS support visits to encourage those new workers one-to-one on the translation projects locally, within the East Arnhem region.
• Plan for CSIS-EA meetings for the East Arnhem region to happen once or twice a year to strengthen one another.
• We discussed how to re-engage with the Gumatj  translation and Scripture in Use needs in Yirrkala area. It was recommended that Mayalil and Timmy Djäwa be contacts for Gumatj and that they be  guided by Guḻumbu and Mutilŋa in the future directions of Gumatj.