Yolngu Life in the Northern Territory of Australia: The Significance of Community and Social Capital

The notion of social capital has had wide currency in mainstream social policy debate in recent years, with commonly-used definitions emphasising three factors: norms, networks and trust. Yolngu Aboriginal people have their own perspectives on norms, networks and trust relationships. This paper uses concepts from Yolngu philosophy to explore these factors in three contexts: at the former mission settlements, at homeland centres (outstations) and among ‘long-grassers’ in Darwin. In Yolngu life, mulkurr (head) and djalkiri (foot) form behavioural norms; gurrutu (kinship) defines social networks; and maar (strength, power) is an indicator of trust. These components of Yolngu social capital have sometimes been strengthened and sometimes weakened by post-contact social development. At the major centralised settlements (former missions) they have been attacked and undermined; at homeland centres (outstations) they have been confirmed and remain strong; and among long-grassers in Darwin they are still held out as representing ethical behaviour. The persistence of these components of social capital at different levels in particular contexts should be seen by government policy-makers as an opportunity to engage in a social development dialogue with Yolngu, aimed at identifying the specific contexts in which Yolngu social capital can be maximised.