Founder of Yothu Yindi says African gangs poor behaviour is an insult to First Australians

[WingNot]

Paul Toohey, News Corp Australia
January 6, 2018 5:00AM
EXCLUSIVE

ONE of Australia’s most senior Aboriginal tribal leaders has delivered a sharp message to African gangs causing fear across Melbourne, telling them that their poor behaviour is an insult to the First Australians.

Witiyana Marika, 56, from Yirrkala community in northeast Arnhem Land, said images of young men brawling, smashing shops and frightening people were confronting and needed to stop.

“Australia is Aboriginal land,” he said. “So, when you don’t respect Australia, you don’t respect Aboriginal people.”

Mr Marika said he struggled to understand why the African youths were running amok, but said his people — including one of his own sons who is at Monash University — had strong connections to Melbourne through education and sport and felt concern.

“I don’t understand why they do that,” he said. “Have they been hated or disliked?

“They are disrupting and spoiling things. Their spirituality is elsewhere. They need to reconnect with their spiritual world and meet people who understand mother earth and father sky.”

Mr Marika invited the African youths, who he said appeared detached from any form of acceptable culture, to northeast Arnhem Land.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/australia/founder-of-yothu-yindi-says-african-gangs-poor-behaviour-is-an-insult-to-first-australians-ng-7090b739f97401162237b74ffabc7ada