Cultural resilience and social wellbeing: A case for research on Groote Eylandt

Abstract

The Anindilyakwa people of Groote Eylandt have encountered extraordinary social upheaval since the arrival on the island of missionaries and the development of a large manganese mine. The communities of Groote Eylandt currently experience high levels of social dysfunction and deculturation. There is a case for research into the link between cultural resilience and social wellbeing and consideration of the role that the flow of capital and issues of agency play in negotiating the impacts of cultural change. Social sustainability has been largely overlooked in policy development and mine lease negotiation, and research into this area, including critical transnational analysis, would enable the Anindilyakwa greater agency in negotiating their cultural futures.