Rest as Resistance: On-Country Retreats with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group

As part of the three-year Tangentyere Collective Care project, EQI helped facilitate annual self- and collective-care retreats with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, supported by the Ford Foundation and the Northern Territory Government. 

The retreats offered members of the group the chance to step away from their daily lives and come together to dedicate time for self-care, collective care, strategy, rest, and renewal. 

The Challenge

Working to end family violence is long-term and challenging work. Aboriginal women in the Northern Territory are among the most impacted in the world. 

For members of the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group, their work on the front lines doesn’t end at the end of the working day. Many members have lived experience of family violence, and live in or have strong ties to the communities they support. In addition, they carry out vast amounts of unpaid care work for children, grandchildren, and sick relatives. 

There are few opportunities for them to step away, rest, and reconnect with themselves, each other, and Country.

The Solution

EQI worked closely with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group to organise and facilitate the retreats, as part of the Tangentyere Collective Care project supported by the Ford Foundation and the Northern Territory Government. 

The 2023 retreat was held at Kings Canyon Resort – a significant location for several of the women, as they are traditional Custodians for that Country. For them, it was particularly meaningful to hold the retreat On-Country. 

Sessions included a bush medicine workshop, dot painting, hunting for bush tucker, cultural tours, bush walks, and movie nights. There were also opportunities for younger women in the group to lead, and to show intergenerational care for the older ladies. 

Each session was designed to draw on the strengths and skills of the women, supporting healing, connection, and strategic planning.

The Impact

The retreat created space for the women to rest, heal and connect to culture and Country, and to continue building their collective strength. 

These retreats are part of a broader series of initiatives piloting new approaches to supporting feminist leaders most affected by gender inequality and violence against women and girls. 

A strong women’s movement depends on the resilience of grassroots feminist leaders, now and into the future. Groups need opportunities to foster younger leaders, continue tradition, and to rest, strategise and renew – both as activists and individuals. 

Learn more here:

• Watch the Tangentyere Women’s Retreat 2022 Video here
• Read about the Rante-rante ampe Marle and Urreye! (Safe, Respected and Free from Violence) Projects Evaluation
• Learn more about the Tangentyere Family Violence Prevention Program
• Read the article Safe, respected and free from violence: preventing violence against women in the Northern Territory, published 3 December 2021 in The Conversation